Revenge
by Aiko-Chan SoT
Summary: [Book 1 in the 'To Say Goodbye' series] Sonic the Hedgehog had never cried before, but as the tears cascading downward, he cried without shame, something he would only do for Miles Tails Prower. R&R! Rated for swearing. COMPLETED!
1. Prolouge: Shameless Tears

_**You know, I've come to the conculsion that I constantly switch between obsession to obsession. o.o Strange...First, there was Pokemon, then Zelda, then Harvest Moon, then Warriors, then Zelda again, then Warriors again, then Harry Potter, then Warriors, then Kingdom Hearts, and now I'm stuck with the childhood memory of playing and watching Sonic the Hedgehog, and I feel inspiration to write a story. And I think that the above sentence was the longest one I ever wrote. o.o **_

_**Well, anyway, this will be the first even Sonic story I have ever attempted to write. And I hope it turns out good. **_

_**But the idea of this story is to show the side of Sonic that cares about Tails, like a caring brother would. It's not OOC, because truely, we've seen this side a little when he saves the small kistunes life, right? But this is putting it in perspective. In other words, I'm being a heartless murderer. O.o Anyway, lets get on with the story, shall we? **_

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Sonic the Hedgehog or any of the characters within the series.

**&&  
****To Say Goodbye**

_**Prolouge:  
**__Shameless Tears_

**&&**

_"...I used to be my own protection, but not now  
__Cause my path has lost direction, somehow  
__A black wind took you away, from sight  
__And held the darkness over day, that night..."  
__**Valentine's Day by Linkin Park**_

"_Tails! Oh God, TAILS!"_

The rain that fell that night was cold, the coldest it had even been. There was no moon, no stars to lighten up the blackness, all of the essences of light covered by the clouds that were pouring with the small droplets that lastest only seconds before they broke against the ground, disappearing as if they never exsisted.

But the cold that came with the stinging drops of the rain was nothing like the cold that had incased his body. His entire body shook, but not from the rain. From the horrible, horrible cold that encased his very heart, his very soul. His body shook violently with shuddered, but other than that he didn't move, clutching the only thing that meant so much to him, that was the _world_ to him.

He had never felt the feeling before, the feeling of absolute helplessness and grief, of guilt and rage. So many emotion bowled around and inside him, he felt he would explode. Every beat that pulsed through his heart was painful. He had stood right there, _right there_, and watched what happened. His shuddering became even more violent, and he clutched the one thing that meant so much to him in the world closer to his chest, feeling what little warmth remained, and cherished it, protected it, held it like if he didn't the world itself would come to an end.

"Tails..." he spoke, his voice hollow with grief, shaking even though he struggled to control it. "Please...don't..." He stopped there, unable to control his voice any longer. His emerald eyes were tightly closed as if he sealed them, never wanting to see again. Small tears clung to his eyes, while others slid down his checks, and it was impossible to tell teardrop from raindrop, as both swirled and mixed together on the blue hedgehog's face. They flowed down as one, gently landing on the precious thing clutched in his arms, into the golden fur that was soaked now, that was plastered against the small body. A deep slash, clean and straight, cut diagnal across the small beings chest, cutting from the shoulder to the hip, blood dripping from the wound, mingling with the mud and rain on the ground, thinning out the dark, crimson blood, making the liquid flow faster down the slope they rested on, staining the grass as it spilt down the slope. Two tails were curled beneath his broken body, and his eyes open, staring slightless and glassy up at the sky, the deep sapphire color never to twinkle again with laughter, never to see the worlds beauty and darkness again. Only stare blankly ahead, as if seeing nothing.

Still clutching the lifeless body, he finally opened his green eyes, gritting his teeth to bring himself together as he stared down at the broken and small body of his best friend, his sidekick, his brother...part of _himself_. He felt as if he had been ripped open, every one of his organs pulled out slowly, painfully, one by one. He gave a choked shuddering sob, and Sonic the Hedgehog cried for the first time freely, his once arrogent and cocky demenior broken by this single mistake, this single sacrific.

"It should have been me," he gasped, squeezing his eyes shut again as pain cut through him again like a knife. "It should have been me." Sobbing quietly, almost silently, Sonic clutched the dead body closer to him, feeling the three small tuffs of hair upon the kitsunes forehead brush against his chin. He was drenched in his best friends blood, but it didn't matter. Nothing matter. Only the fact that his little brother who did nothing, _nothing_, to deserve this, lay dead in his arms.

"Why, Tails?" he managed, feeling rage and grief tear at him at once. "Why? He was aiming for _me_! Not you! Why did you...you..." But he fell apart again, shuddering and griefstricken. He opened his eyes again, looking down into the eyes of his best friend, the eyes that stared at him lifelessly, and Sonic imagined them blaming him, saying he wasn't fast enough, and yet he was supposed to be the fastest thing on two feet. The rain was slowing down, the cold torrental downpour nearly over, but this didn't help what happened.

It wasn't fair. _It wasn't fair_. Tails was dead, and for what reason? Sonic felt rage eat at him, make his vision red, but the grief overpowered it, and he instead held Tails in his arms, the red vision dropping. By now, the sun was just peering from over the horizon, and the rain was simply sprinkling around them, no longer cold, but Sonic didn't notice this. Still sobbing, grief and guilt pulling him at all sides, Sonic stood, holding the battered body of Tails in his arms gently, as if holding a baby, and began walking.

"I'll get you home, Tails," he said, tears dripping on the kitsune's motionless face. "And get you cleaned up." He knew, in his mind, that his best friend was dead, but it hurt to know that. He simply tried to deny it, tried to think that his buddy was alive and that he was simply sleeping. But when he looked down at the small body, whose eyes stared lifelessly up at him, it was impossible to deny it, and pain slashed through him like a dagger. He stopped walking, simply staring into the sightless eyes of his best friend, and then gave a sudden, angst-filled scream that pierce the near silent air around him, that last for more than 10 seconds. There, he dropped to his knees, clutching tighly to Tails's body as if it would keep him alive.

"_It was supposed to kill me_!" he shrieked again, tears spilling from his eyes as he yelled at an unknown enemy. "_He was aiming for me_!" Shaking violently, Sonic released his grip on Tails, placing him on the ground before slamming his fists against the muddy ground, so hard he could hear the cracking of his own hands, but it didn't matter. "Damn it, Tails, he was aiming for me! _I _was supposed to die! Not you...Not you..." He sobbed louder this time, slamming his fists harder against the ground. "You weren't supposed to die..." He sobbed harder, his fists slowing down, until he finally collasped, the pain in his hands nothing like the pain he felt in his heart.

Forcing himself to stand, Sonic looked up at the sky, the tears no longer hidden by the rain. His eyes glowed red as the hazy face of Tails's killer entered his mind, and he snarled, feeling the rage overpower him, send him beyond the reaches of anger and into pure loathing and hatred.

"_STEEL_!" he screamed into the dawn sky, all his anger and rage pouring into the screech of the killers name. "I swear by the body of Tails, I'll _kill_ you! You hear me?! Bastard, I'll _kill_ you!" He broke into a shuddering sob, his knees shaking under him. "You'll pay for hurting him...You'll pay...I'll kill you..." Sobbing loudly this time, Sonic collasped as his legs gave way beneath him. The anger that had overpowered him was gone, and all that remained was the grief and promise of vengence. "Tails...Tails...I'm sorry..." Tears pouring from his green orbs, Sonic moaned into the night, clutching his stomach as he was doubled over on the ground, like a rag doll thrown away. Guilt and grief and anger jerked at him, and he sobbed harder, sobbed for the words he left unsaid, sobbed for the apologies he hadn't made, sobbed for the fox now dead before him that had been half of his soul.

After what seemed like forever, he finally stood, the tears still in his eyes, unshed, glisting in the sunlight that had risen above him. He looked directly into the sun, the rain long gone and forgotten, vowing there, before the body of his best friend, his brother, he would kill Steel. Would make him pay for taking Tails away from him. He wouldn't escape him. Blinking slowly, allowing the few other tears of many to come slide down his face. He looked over at the body of the young kitsune, hardly 10 old, dead before his time. He walked slowly over to the huddle of golden fur, gently taking him in his arms. The three small tuffs of hair were nearly flattened from the mud on him, and Sonic quickly fixed it, making it just the way the 10 year old always liked it.

_"Look Sonic!"_'

His small voice that echoed through his head made a sad, grief-stricken smile cross his face as he remember the young kitsune's excitement over the accomplishments he made, which were many. Closing his eyes tightly through the tears and hugging the small body of Tails, Sonic let the grief wash over him. After a moment, he opened his eyes, still clutching the motionless body, and started clambering up the slope, his eyes straight ahead as tears dripped down his face.

Sonic the Hedgehog had never cried before, but as the tears cascading downward, he cried without shame, something he would only do for Miles "Tails" Prower.

**&&  
**_**End of Chapter/Story  
**_**&&**

_**I'm really happy with how this turned out. Well, a little anyway. It's the first Sonic one I've ever written, and I think I did okay. :) It's kinda sad too, but it gets sadder later on, if you guys want me to continue. :3 Of course I will. It won't be a long story either. Probably 4-6 Chapters. So, what do you think? And I know Tails supportures may hate me, but I **_**love **_**Tails. He has always, since I was a young child, been my favorite character in the Sonic Series. :3 It's just a story I made to see how I could portray Sonic during a real tragedy of something he loved dearly, like his brother. So, anyway, read and review!**_

**Aiko-Chan Sot**


	2. Slipping on Lies

_Man, thanks for all the awesome reviews! I didn't expect to get so many! Thanks alot!_

**azngirlchibi - **_Yes, it is a bit cliched, but I had an inspriration. :3 So I had to write. And, no, Steel's gonna be my made up character. You'll see more of him later. I was thinking about using Metal (for he is my favorite villian xD), but decided to use my own, but I may change my mind later if I can't think of anything else for Steel. o.O_

**shadesoflightanddark - **_Thanks so much! And yeah, I felt horrible when I wrote this. Tails has always been my favorite character, but it struck me to write something emotional and sad. I'm in a depressed state. O.o lmao_

**crimson-obsidian-rose - **_Thanks! I loved the emotion too, and I'm glad it worked on people. xD_

_And thanks to everyone else who favorited/alerted my story/me. It really means alot _**azngirlchibi****mastablasta**_and _**shadesoflightanddark**. _It means as much as the reviews do. Anyway, here's the next chapter, and I hope you enjoy it!_

**&&**

**To Say Goodbye**

_**Chapter 1:**_

_Slipping on Lies_

**&&**

_"I'm slipping off the edge  
I'm hanging by a thread  
I wanna start this over again  
So I try to hold onto a time when nothing matter  
And I can't explain what happened  
And I can't erase the things that I've done  
No I can't."  
_**Untitled by Simple Plan**

"Damn it..."

Sonic stumbled again, cursing under his breath as he quickly righted himself before he hit the ground. He was climbing over a mountain of rocks, the loose ones clattering to the ground when his foot met them, causing him to stumble, nearly dropping Tails from his arms every time. Refusing to drop him, Sonic forced himself forward, though exhaustion and grief tried to make him stop there. He fought the urge, determined to get Tails home no matter what. Another rock clattered from under his feet as he climbed higher, nearly at the top of the hill of rocks.

The sun was nearly directly overhead now, and the tears that had been falling from the hedgehogs eyes had stopped, his eyes simply lifeless, hardly different than Tails dead ones. The tears that had fallen had stained his blue fur, proof he had been sobbing for a long period of time. Blood was splattered against him, yet another reminder of how much he had lost. With each pulse of his heart, pain stabbed him worse than the blade of a knife. He clutched Tails's body with both hands tightly, as if daring someone, anyone, to try and pry the body away from him.

He finally reached the top of the mountain of rocks and stopped, his muscles quivering with the effort of moving. Below him was the Mystic Ruins, a beautiful valley overlooking an ocean, which sparkled now in the sunlight. The lake which was nearly hid was tucked inside another valley, kept in a bowl-shaped area. It was a beautiful place, and Sonic winched visibly, remembering how the two tailed fox had found it, insisting it be their new home.

_"Sonic! This place is beautiful!" Sonic turned away from the station and back at the 10 year old, whose eyes sparkled back at him with the excitement of a child. A huge smile was plastered across Tails's face as he looked at Sonic. "I think we should live here!" _

Sonic closed his eyes, the memory of first coming here with Tails washing around him like the waves in the ocean. He could swear his heart stopped a moment, the pain for it too much to bear, before continuing it's rythmatic beating. His breathing ragged as his tears threatened to pour down again, Sonic started decending down the mountain, holding Tails to his chest. He half expected to feel Tails's heart beating against his stomach as he held him, but felt nothing, to his utter disappointment. The rocks clattered to the bottom of the mountain, and from the train station nearby he heard the tell-tale whistle of the leaving train. But he hardly heard it, as his mind swimmed with thoughts and flashbacks, that preoccupied him.

_"Tails, be careful over there!" he shouted, watching the kitsune lean over the edge of the hill that overlooked the ocean. He looked back over his shoulder at the blue hedgehog, smiling. _

_"Don't worry, I'm--" But his sentence was cut off when the edge of the hill broke away, and the two tailed fox was suspended in the air a moment before disappearing from view. Sonic made no noise, jumping to his feet and running to the edge, right as Tails appeared again, grinning, his tails spinning as he lifted himself in the air. He landed next to Sonic, who was shaking his head, sighing. _

_"What am I ever gonna do with you?"_

Sonic was suddenly jerked from his thoughts as the rock beneath his foot fell away and he found himself falling forward, unable to catch his balance this time. Shouting curses at the wind, he hit the ground and began rolling down the mountain of rocks, feeling them gorge over and over into his side. He was still holding Tails, trying to stop his out of control rolling, using his legs to skid against the rocks. But this only made more rocks crumble down with him. His mind jolted in panic when he realized he couldn't stop, and all he could do was hold Tails and struggle to stop.

He was aware that the mountain of rock came to an end, and he quickly moved his legs to stop himself as the edge to the land that dropped to the water came closer and closer. Gritting his teeth, he slammed his feet against the ground, his body skidding to a stop just before he would've been plunged into the waters below.

Gasping for breath, Sonic got to his feet, his legs shaking hard, not from fear, but from exhaustion. His heart was beating faster now, and this caused more pain to jolt through him with every pulse. Still, Sonic pushed himself, determined once more to see that Tails got home. His vision swam around him, and he took a single step before colors swirled into one another. Another step and they all formed one color; black. No longer in control of his movements, Sonic's legs gave out beneath him, and he collasped, Tails falling from his arms and to the ground, where the kitsune rolled a few feet before stopping, sightless eyes looking at the sun he would never see again. Sonic fought the feeling of unconsciousness, an invisible enemy that threatened to claim him, but he lost, and slipped into the awaiting arms of sleep.

**-x-x-x-**

He saw it, all of it. The way the blue hedgehog rolled down the mountain, the way he nearly fell into the churning waters of the ocean in which he so feared. But he kept his distance, ready to act at the last moment to save his life. Thats how he had always been, stepping in at the last possible moment, respecting the wishes to act alone in which people sometimes had. And the blue hedgehog was one of them. He had also seen the small kitsune nestled in the hedgehogs arms, and immediatly knew something was wrong. From his place upon the hill overlooking the ocean, Knuckles the Echidna watched as Sonic the Hedgehog collasped, unmoving.

Now he moved, and quickly. Moving quickly, but nowhere near as fast as his comrade, Knuckles jumped down the edge, jumping on the strong large boulders attached to the sides, and finally landed next to the motionless body, looking down at him. He looked so weak, so different from the Sonic he knew. Concern twinkled in his violet eyes, but another shape ahead of Sonic caught them. Golden fur shined in the sun, and Knuckles recongnized the body as Tails, tell-tale from the two tails that were limp under him. But that wasn't what made Knuckles heart leap in sudden horror. Red...dark red, clinging to the foxes fur. Knuckles hurried over to the smal kitsunes side, and gasped, wanting to back away and run off, wanting to kill whoever had done this, wanting it not to be true.

"What the hell...?" he breathed, his voice shallow. "T-Tails?"

The hedgehogs best friend stared up at the sky sightlessly, his body unmoving, his chest not rising with the normal motions of breathing. And the slash...deep and clean...fatal. No one could survive that. His head spun dizzily, and he stumbled backward, holding his head as nausea struck hard, making him want to retch. How did this happen? Who killed Tails? He shuddered visibly, the cold of the death springing up and attacking his heart.

Then he remembered the motionless Sonic, feeling even sicker with dread. Was the hedgehog dead as well? Knuckles hurried to his rivals side, and when he saw the blood, he nearly collasped. But he was reliefed just slightly when his chest rose and fell with breathing. He closed his eyes, letting his own breathing return to a normal rate, anger boiling in his blood. Someone had murdered Tails. He could only imagine what Sonic was feeling. He knew that Tails and Sonic were best friends, facing the world and evil never alone, but with each other, fighting everything in order to find each other again if they were serperated. But Death...Death was something that would seperate them forever. And how Sonic would bear it...

Fighting these thoughts and swallowing the remorse and sadness that choked him, Knuckles proceeded upon picking up Sonic and putting him over his shoulder. He didn't move, didn't stir, and this made Knuckles wonder again what had happened, or if it was simply the horror of Tails's death that made the blue hedgehog so exhausted. Then he proceeded to Tails, and more gently took his little body in his arms. It was so light, as it had always been. There seemed to be nothing of twin-tailed fox but fur and bone. He swallowed the lump in his throat, the sadness that clutched him, and placed Tails on the other shoulder. Holding both of them, Knuckles looked up at the hill overlooking the ocean, where Tails and Sonic had made there home, and Tails had made his workshop. He stood there a moment, relishing in the sudden string of memories, before he began walking.

**-x-x-x-**

_He didn't want to open his eyes. He didn't want to look at anything that surrounded him, though he didn't know why. But his instinct, his heart, told him it would be better not to look, and he always followed his heart. But another part of him, a part he did no recongize, a part that burned with grief and guilt told him he deserved it, and that he should open his eyes. But what did he know? His mind was empty, blank. He was simply _there_, floating in that vast darkness that may never end._

_He finally listened to the latter instinct, to open his eyes, to find out where he was. At first, he saw nothing, nothing but darkness. But then the darkness began to take shape slowly; a couch here, a table there. The blackness straightened into walls, into the floor and ceiling. Everything began to take shape around him, and he blinked in confusion when he saw himself at home. Something wasn't right, though. There was dread deep in his heart, and for what reason, he didn't know. But it was eating him away, and he felt sick, sick with many different emotions, but his mind was still blank, the only thought that of where he was._

_And then, he heard it._

_"I can't believe you did that!"_

_"Sonic!"_

_Two voices reached his pricked ears, and he turned sideways, the sounds so famliar to him that he felt the memory was just out of reach, just where his fingertips brushed it. He turned toward the direction from which the voices came, not bothering to hide or be prepared to fight, even though my instincts screamed it. It simply stood there, looking down the hallway that had formed from the darkness. A figure was walking from the hallway toward him, and his instincts screamed even louder, but still, he didn't move, watching as the figure got closer and closer, until the darkness left it also. And he found himself staring right at himself._

No...

_"I though I was helping..."" came another voice, and a moment later, another figure emerged from the darkness, taking the shape of a fox with twin-tails. Pain ate at his heart as he watched his mirror image and the young kitsune turn to one another, anger flashing in green, guilt flashing in blue._

_"Think, Tails! That wouldn't of helped anything!" His image looked down at the kitsune, the anger and disbelief shining there. "That could've gotten me and you killed!" _

_"Just...let me explain Sonic--"_

_"There's nothing to explain!" his copy exploded angerily, surprising the fox so much he flattened his ears in sudden fear. "You _stole_ our Chaos Emerald to use on some...some stupid plane!" By now, he was shaking, trying to block out the image as his thoughts came back to him, his mind finally working once again. _No...No..._ he moaned, though it seemed the other two could not hear him._

_"It's not a stupid plane!" he heard Tails shout, and heard the pain in the small kitsunes voice, next to the sound of defiance and indiginity. "It would've made _our _plane better! Faster! If you would just--"_

_"Tails, no!" Sonic snarled. _

_His mind was flashing with the images now. He saw himself standing there saying the same thing to Tails, the same face, the same reaction, the same anger. "No..." he whispered, shutting his eyes. _

_"I don't _care_ what it would've done!" his clone yelled again. "Look, you're ten years old, Tails! I'm not giving you the Emerald so you can make another stupid invention!"_

_Silence._

_"No..." he moaned again, falling to his knees, wishing for the darkness that had existed before to come back. "Tails...I'm sorry..." Tails simply stood there, not acknowledging the other Sonic, simply staring in pure shock at the one in front of him. The other Sonic simply stared back down, his gaze no softening. There was no words from Tails. He simply turned away, rushing down the opposite hallway, and mixing into the darkness once more._

_"_NOOOO_!" he screamed, getting up from his knees as anger forced him up. He stalked over to the copy of him, who stood staring after Tails, and shot out with a fist, though his arm went straight through him. "Get him back!" he demanded, aiming another punch at himself, but he got the same reaction, and Sonic hadn't even looked at him. "Apologize_. Apologize_! He's just a kid..." He dropped to his knees, the effort of standing suddenly to much. "He just...wants you to be proud..." He stared up at the clone, eyes glazing in anger. "It's all he wants!" He stared at himself in pure loathing. "Don't let him...go away..." And right then, right before his eyes, his mirrored image seemed to dissolve. Everything around him was disappearing, returning to the darkness from where it came._

_And then, after everything was gone and he was floating in darkness again, the motionless figure of Tails's body was there, staring up at him with lifeless eyes._

You were supposed to save him...

_No..._

All he wanted was your praise, you to be proud of him...

_Stop..._

And what did you give him? _Death,_ Sonic. He got _Death _in return.

_No! He wasn't supposed to die!_

Really? Then why didn't you save him?

_I tried...I tried..._

You wasn't fast enough...

_I'm sorry..._

But your the fastest thing on two feet...

_Tails, I'm so sorry!_

And yet you wasn't fast enough to save your best friend...

_Stop it! I'm sorry..._

What a shame...that should be _you _there, shouldn't it?

_Tails, come back...please..._

_The darkness was beginning to form into something again, this time the mirror image of himself once more, but this time, it could see him, and it was staring at him, an evil smirk on his face as he stared him down._

You never cared about him...

_Liar! He was my best friend. I swore I would protect him!_

You never cared...

_I'd give anything...anything for him to come back!_

Oh, I bet you would.

_Shut _UP!

_He stood quickly, anger pulsing through his veins like a drug. The other Sonic stared back at him, a smug look upon his cocky face. He aimed at punch at the doppleganger, and another one, and another one, and they all struck, but the clone still looked at him, not winching in pain._

He's dead...because of _you_!

_And there, right in front of him, the emerald green eyes that were his own, staring back at him, turned a buring red, staring him down, the same smug look on his face._

_And he screamed..._

His eyes flew open, his body leaping into the air, sweat sticking to him like glue poured over his head. His green eyes were tiny slits, staring straight ahead as if staring at an unknown enemy. He chest flew up and down with his rapid breathing, and his heart mirrored it, pounding against his ribs painfully. The darkness seemed to surround him once more, but it soon faded as his eyes adjusted, and he found himself sitting upright on a couch, the familar walls of his home surrounding him. There were no red eyes glaring at him, no darkness surrounding him, just his home.

His head pounded as his breathing adjusted slowly back to normal, and he clutched his head, winching in pain and exhaustion. But he stopped as he lifted his hand, and his eyes caught the large stain of red on his white gloves.

And then he remembered...

It all came back, the fight, Tails's body, everything, and he nearly fainted, closing his eyes as the fresh wave of grief and pain more terrible than any physical pain hit him like running into a wall. He continued to stare at the bloodstain, not fully comprehending what his mind kept telling him.

_He's dead...He's dead...He's dead..._

He tore his gaze away from the glove, and stood, swaying like a piece of grass in the wind when he did so. Grunting slightly, he found his balance, and looked around the room. There was the table, the couch, several pictures hanging on the wall. There was no sight of Tails.

_Maybe it was a dream..._ he thought, never remembering entering the home himself.

"Tails?" he called, waiting a moment after his shout. There was no answer. The hallway that led toward Tail's workshop seemed to disappear in front of him as dizziness claimed him. "Tails? Buddy, are you there?" Again, no answer, but he heard shuffling in the darkness beyond the hallway. Breathing deeply and slowly, Sonic started down the long hallways, his eyes looking straight ahead.

He finally reached the end of the hallway, and stopped. A figure stood in the middle of the room, and Sonic far from relaxed. "Tails, is that you?" This time, there was an answer, but it wasn't who he wanted to hear at that moment.

"No, Sonic," came the gruff, low voice, familar to his ears. Then, the red echidna he knew as Knuckles stepped from the darkness, his violet eyes troubled and his voice low with dread. "It's me, Knuckles."

Sonic said nothing, his heart hammering as he looked at Knuckles, his usual smile of greeting lost as he simply stared. Then...

"Where's Tails?"

Silence seemed to claim the air around them after that blunt question. Knuckles seemed to hold his breath, and Sonic did as well, not daring to breath. Knuckles looked at him, and his eyes, for the first time since Sonic met him, dropped away from Sonic's eyes, and he saw the twinkling of grief in his eyes. Sonic said nothing, feeling his own eyes water as he heard the echidna's words.

"He...Tails..." Knuckles was stumbling over words, but Sonic didn't move, his green eyes not moving from Knuckles. The red echidna finally looked back up at him. "Sonic, he's dead."

Even though he expecting this, it was such a blow, he could swear Knuckles had struck him. He stood there, finally moving his eyes to look down at his gloves. The blood was still there, and it seemed to glare at him with anger.

"_You were supposed to save him..._"

He closed his eyes, no longer able to fight the tears that followed. He listened for movement from Knuckles, but his rival didn't move from his spot, watching Sonic from where he stood. Sonic balled his fists, squeezing them together so hard, his entire body was shaking. He heard movement from Knuckles now, but didn't open his eyes to see what he was doing. He stared at the darkness inside his eyelids, squeezing them tighter together.

"_Sonic...d-don't leave me...okay_?"

He shook harder as he heard Knuckles enter back into the room, still refusing to open his eyes. Tears were dripping down his face, and he heard them smack against the ground as they dropped away from his face.

"_I won't Tails...I...I promise..._"

"_Sonic...I...I'm s...sor...ry..._"

"_No Tails...please...don't leave me...I need you..._"

"_I love you...Sonic..._"

"_I...love you...too...lil bro..._"

His smile as he lay dying was plastered in his mind, and he shook his head rapidly, pushing it away as best as he could. It was haunting, the last smile of Tails, directed at him, as his little brother lay, dying in his arms.

"_Goodbye forever...Sonic...the Hedgehog..._"

"_No...Tails! Tails? Wake up! Damn it, Tails, don't die...Tails! Oh God, TAILS!_"

He was shaking harder now, violently, his tears cascading down his cheeks, and he finally opened his eyes, his vision blurry as he looked over at the red echidna that stood a few feet away. In his arms was something that made Sonic's heart stop. Tails.

"Oh, God...No..." He couldn't move, could only stand there. Knuckles closed his eyes, but Sonic couldn't mistake the single tear that escaped from his eyes. He brung the motionless body of Tails, no longer bloody, to him, and layed him on the ground. "Tails...No..." Sonic suddenly found himself on his knees, his eyes narrowed into tiny slits, disbelief, horror, and grief leaking from his eyes as tears. He made no noise as he gently reach over and pushed the three small bangs from Tails's face. But as they always did when Sonic did that to annoy him, that simply moved back into place, but this time there was no shouting of protests from Tails. He stared down at his best friends body, his little brothers body, and let out a piercing scream.

His fists collided with the metal ground under him, just inches from Tails. They slammed hard against the ground, and with each punch to the floor, Sonic shouted curses. He was briefly aware of Knuckles, who had come over and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. Sonic stopped slamming his fists against the ground, and simply sobbed, the rest of his body collasping to the ground.

_"You wasn't fast enough...but your the fastest thing on two feet...And yet you wasn't fast enough to save your best friend..."_

**&&**

**End of Chapter**

**&&**

_Thanks everyone, for reading my story. I hope this chapter is good for you. It's nice and long. o.o Please leave a review if you read, even if you hated it. Remember, flames are allowed, just make sure they aren't _too _harsh._

_And I'm taking a vote. Would you rather me use my own creation of a villian or Metal Sonic? It keeps coming to me that using Metal would be easier, since I know more about him. With Steel, I'll have to give him ablities and stuff...And it would be harder. But Metal would be awesome to use, don't you think? I may go with Metal. So, heres the vote!_

_Do you want..._

Metal

_or_

Steel

_You decide!_

**Aiko-Chan SoT**


	3. The Worst Kind of Suffering

_Thanks again for all the wonderful reviews! They are making my finish this before I go back to school! Thanks so much! I really am putting alot of effort in each chapter, as you can see, and I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I do writing them. _

_The votes are in! And..._**Metal Sonic **_is the winner by a landslide! The score was 5-0. o.o_

_There's a funny thing with this story, though...I actually know how I will finish it. Or a close idea, anyway. It could change easily, but I may keep it the way I have it. It's really unusual for me to have the entire story planned out. I usually wing it. But I've been thinking alot about this particular one. I'm actually really proud of the way it's going, and I hope it keeps up making me proud._

_Anyway, to the reviewers..._

**Snax** - _Thanks for your review! And for your vote! And yeah, I see how they can be annoying, not only to the readers, but to the writer as well. _

**shadesoflightanddark **- _Knuckles always seems to be late from what I've seen...or in my story anyway. xD And no, this is a _brotherly _love between the two. I'm really much into the gay shippings, if you know what I mean. And the emotions are really intense, I agree. I must be going through some undetected depression or something. o.o_

**azngirlchibi **- _Blown away? Wow...never gotten that kind of description before. Thanks! And no, as stated above, it's not a gay shipping. Just brotherly love. After all, Tails in this story is 10. It's common for younger kids to say that alot. And about the 'winching' thing...yeah, thanks. I figured I spelled it wrong. Usually I spell it 'wincing', but I guess I typoed or something...o.o And true for the villian. It would be easier for you guys to hate him..._

**CoralChoral **- _Thanks! And your vote will probably win...O.o_

**Crystal Persian **- _xD You never know. Maybe he will, maybe he won't. _

_And thanks to the members who added me/my story to their favorites/alert lists! _**poprincesspopular****CoralChoral**_, and _**Crystal Persian**_. Thanks alot for your support! And so no one mistakes this as something it's not, _this story is **not** a gay shipping of SonicxTails_. It's a _brother _shipping, so any sign of affection is _brotherly

_And here's the next chapter!_

**&&  
To Say Goodbye**

_**Chapter 2:  
**__The Worst Kind of Suffering__**  
**_**&&**

_"...Still harder getting up, getting dressed, living with this regret  
But I know, if I could do it over  
I would trade, give away, all the words that I save in my heart  
That I had left unspoken..."_

**What Hurts the Most by Rascall Flats**

The rest of the evening, as the sun sunk lower and lower in the sky, Sonic did nothing but stare at the unmoving body of Tails. He stared motionless, legs under him, eyes narrow slits, tears no longer flowing, silent. The pain was still there, but he was suddenly numb to it, only feeling the pressure it brung against his heart.

The entire evening he was hardly aware of Knuckles next to him, violet eyes closed, head bent. He was standing however, and when he finally opened his eyes, Sonic felt the violet gaze burn into his back, but ignored it. He was, though he would never admit it, comforted just slightly by Knuckles's pressence, as the red echidna simply stood there, unmoving the entire evening as Sonic mourned the loss of his best friend.

The entire four hours he sat, looking at Tails, he didn't think. He didn't think back on the memories they shared, didn't recall the horrifying death. The only thing going through his mind was the last words he had spoken to Tails, before he had went to search for Metal. It was all he could recall, as if all the memories of Tails and him, of his other friends, of _his entire life_, were stolen, locked away far from reach. It was only the conversation they had shared, the heartwretching look Tails had given him at his words, the way he had simply left, without saying anything else to the young kitsune, never knowing what would happen only hours later.

"_I can't believe you did that_!"

"_Sonic_!"

The conversation rung in his ears, and he felt as if his eardrums would explode if he heard it again, but it kept replaying, and replaying.

"_I thought I was helping_..."

"_Think Tails!_ _It wouldn't of helped anything! That could've gotten me and you killed_!"

"_Just...let me explain, Sonic--_"

"_There's nothing to explain! You _stole_ our Chaos Emerald to use on some...some stupid plane_!"

"_It's not a stupid plane! It would've made _our _plane better! Faster! If you would just--_"

"_Tails, no!_ _I don't _care_ what it would've done! Look, you're ten years old, Tails! I'm not giving you the Emerald so you can make another stupid invention_!"

The last full conversation he would ever have with his little brother, and he was telling him how stupid his inventions were, how he was only ten, suggesting he could do _nothing_. This was what hurt Sonic the most. He knew he had been wrong. He knew, as he walked out the door to find Metal, that he should apologize. But his stubborn and cocky demenior wouldn't let him. And now that demenior was shattered with the life of Tails. Just as Tails had been slashed through like butter, so had his demenior. It was gone, replaced only by the horrifying knowledge that he would never get to apologize to Tails, never let him know how much he really loved his little brother. And that...that hurt the most.

"Sonic..." For the first time in hours, Knuckles had spoken, and for the first time in hours, Sonic moved, lifting his head and twisting his ears forward. He said nothing to Knuckles, as if his voice had left him forever. He simply waited for the echidna spoke again, listening, though his eyes were still trained on the broken body of Tails.

"Sonic...I..." He heard movement, and his ears twisted to the side as he heard Knuckles shuffling toward him. He saw the setting sun through the window glint off the echidna's red fur as he got closer, placing a single hand on Sonic's shoulder. Still, the hedgehog said nothing, and only his breathing answered Knuckles. The echidna seemed to hesitate, taking a breath as if to speak and letting it out in a sigh a moment later. Numb to all feeling, Sonic knew he should be surprised - the hardheaded echidna never hesitated, even if he was wrong, earning him the name Knucklehead from Sonic - but he felt nothing, only the emptiness that settled deep in the pit of his stomach, making it churn.

"Sonic...who did this?" Knuckles whispered to Sonic, and he could hear the anger in his voice, even though Knuckles attempted to hide it. "Who...killed Tails?" Sonic said nothing for the longest time, not moving, and for a moment, as the silence drifted on, Sonic wondered if the red echidna had really said anything at all. Breathing deeply, Sonic finally turned his head to Knuckles, his emerald gaze narrowed, and answered unconsciously.

"Metal."

And after that word escaped his mouth in a whisper, the numbness was jerked away, and the pain attacked him, tearing his heart into shreads. The empty feeling seemed to grow in his stomach, threatening to take his heart. And all it took was that single name, the single whisper of Tails murdering, and it was all back. His eyes widened more, the slits disappearing, and Sonic felt the dry rage filling him, absorbing the pain and grief. Vengence rose in his heart as the pain deepened. His vision burned red, his teeth grinding together. But even as his body was exploding with rage on the inside, Sonic managed to whisper.

"Metal did this..."

And then he looked away from Knuckles and back at Tails, and at once the rage fell, dropping into his stomach, disappearing within the empty feeling there. Tails...Tails was dead...And Metal was to blame. But after killing his doppleganger, what would that bring back to him? Tails wouldn't be alive, but at least his murderer will be dead. He blinked slowly, his vision burning back to the natural color of the world, and he closed his eyes, wishing and praying that Tails was still alive, wishing that his little brother had tried to save him from Metal, wishing that he hadn't ever yelled at Tails.

"Metal murdered Tails..." he heard himself whisper as he opened his eyes again, turning his gaze to Knuckles. "Metal killed him, right in front of me." He stopped a moment, wondering if what was glinting in Knuckles's eyes was reflected in his eyes. He squeezed his fist together tightly, feeling the anger burn in his body. "And he'll pay. He'll pay for murdering my brother. I'll kill the son of a bitch." His arm was shaking as his squeezed both fists. Knuckles was looking at him, anger and almost hidden sadness burning in his own violet eyes. They stood that way for awhile, simply staring at each other, neither breaking their stances or stares. Finally, Sonic closed his eyes and stood, opening them again to look down at Tails. His eyes were now closed, something both Sonic and Knuckles had done, closing them with their hands. Now, apart from the slash that cut down his body, Tails looked as if he were sleeping. Sonic bent down, running his gloved fingers through his brothers golden locks hanging down his face before picking his body up, cradling him like a father would a baby. Knuckles simply watched, and when Sonic turned around, the red echidna closed his eyes.

"But I'm going to bury him first." Sonic controlled his voice, keeping the grief away from it as he looked from Knuckles back down to Tails. "I know the perfect place...just beside the lake. Yeah. He'd like that, being buried where he can still hear the waterfall..." Sonic wasn't aware of his shaking voice, getting worse with every second, or of the tears now streaming down his face. He saw Knuckles move out of the corner of his eye, and suddenly felt the echidna's hand on Sonic's shoulder. Sonic payed no mind to it, simply continuing to stare down at Tails, tears flowing down his cheeks. How much tears could one person spill before they stopped falling? How much did someone cry until they couldn't anymore?

"Tails would've liked that, Sonic," he suddenly heard Knuckles say, the echidna's voice shaking just barely. Sonic simply nodded, burying his face in Tails's hair, wishing that someway, somehow, his little buddy would come back...come back and tell him everything was okay.

**-x-x-x-**

The waterfall crashed loudly against the water below it, sending mist bellowing from the impact. It raised into the air, cooling the temperature slightly around it. A rainbow could be seen as the sun hit the water for the last time that day. The waterfall was surrounded by beautiful land, with tall cattails and flowers swaying in the breeze. It was a beautiful place, shaped like a bowl by the rock surrounding it.

Near the edge of the lake on the far right stood Sonic and Knuckles. The waterfall roared behind them loudly, but neither heard it as they looked down at the freshly dug earth, where a mound now formed, where the final resting place of Miles "Tails" Prower would be. A large stone was dug into the dirt near the top, and inscribed on it was his name. It was a terrible realization to both of them, knowing Tails would never be there to build a new invention, or think of a new plan to foil Eggman or just to have fun. He was no more in their lives, and no one felt worse about it than Sonic the Hedgehog.

His best friend was dead, buried at his feet, his other standing to his right. He was fighting tears again, and when he glanced over at the still Knuckles, he swore he could see the echidna shaking with the effort, but maybe it was just the blurr from the tears in his eyes.

Silence ruled for awhile, besides the roaring of the waterfall. Neither spoke, the pain of Tails's death too much for them. They were clutched in the tight hands of speechlessness. Sonic was the first to move, turning his head to look over the mountain which he had come from that day, and his muscles tightened, his hands balling into fists again. He vowed again, as he looked once more at Tails's grave, that he would kill Metal, kill him for killing Tails, kill him for taking everything away from him.

"Sonic." Knuckles voice broke through his thoughts, and the hedgehog whipped around to face him, the anger and sadness buried in his eyes. Knuckles narrowed his own, and Sonic could see his own anger reflected there. "Not now." Just as if the echidna knew what he was thinking, he voiced his opinion about it right out.

"Knuckles, the bastard killed Tails!" he snarled at him, lifting his fist. Knuckles nodded, closing his eyes.

"Sonic, I want revenge too, but we can't act now." He opened his eyes again, and spoke just as Sonic opened his mouth to protest. "If you go in the state you're in now, you'll be killed in seconds. And Tails wouldn't want you to act rash and die, just for him." Sonic said nothing, hearing the truth in his words. He only sighed, looking away from Knuckles and at the lake. "I promise, Sonic, we'll get vengence for Tails. I'll promise you that." Sonic simply nodded, saying nothing. Knuckles sighed, nudging the hedgehogs arm. "C'mon. Lets get back up to the house. We'll think of a plan." Hardly hearing him, Sonic nodded, muttering a quiet "Okay" before following Knuckles up the hill, never looking back at the grave of his best friend, afraid to look, afraid of being haunted more by his memory and the words he left unsaid.

**-x-x-x-**

Once they were inside Sonic's house, the two immediatly began working on a plan to find and kill Metal Sonic. The doppleganger of Sonic had escaped from Eggman's lair, no longer under the doctors control. That had to be true, considering Sonic saw no Egg Glider or Egg Viper, or whatever he flew around in. And now, Metal was loose in the area surrounding the Mystic Ruins, where the fetch had attacked Sonic, which lead to Tails demise.

"We were in a clearing," Sonic recalled, drawing out what he remembered on a sheet of paper. The flashes of the battle replayed through his mind, and he drew the setting, but left out the scenes of the battle which clearly haunted him. "And when he...When the battle was over, I saw him head for those ruins on the other side of the forest. He must be staying there, away from any signs of civilization." His blood boiled, only thoughts focused on getting vengence for Tails. He swallowed the lump in his throat, finished with his drawing, and looking back up at Knuckles, who was studying it thoroughly.

"I know those ruins," he said quietly, putting a finger on the tallest one. "Those are the Tyethone Ruins." He fell silent, tracing the ruins drawn with his finger. "I stayed there when I first came here to the Mystic Ruins." He fell quiet again, closing his eyes as if thinking. Sonic watched him, his gaze flickering from the drawing to the echidna, until Knuckles opened his eyes and pointed to the side of the drawing. "There's a secret entrance here, near the back. I found it when I first explored there. It's blocked off by a rock that looks like it's part of the ruins, but its actually just there to hide it. I used it as a planned escape route in case something happened. Simply remove the rock and crawl inside the cave." Sonic nodded, seeing the plan play out in his mind. "When you reach the end of the tunnel, you'll be inside the ruins. I hid this part too, behind a huge statue. No one could find it."

"Great. This should work, Knuckles." But what would normally send his heart racing in excitement felt like nothing to him. All he wanted was revenge, and thats all he planned right now. He silently wondered if anything, ever again, would give him that same thrill he would get...before Tails died. He wondered if he would ever joke again, ever laugh at anything that was amusing to him. In the back of his mind, he hoped, but highly doubted it. After all, without Tails, what was he? A simple Sonic, and that was it. He shook his head, focusing his mind on the upcoming ambush, ready to take down the hunk of junk that had taken away his little brother. He shuddered with anger.

"Let's--"

"We'll go tomorrow."

Irritation flaming in his belly, Sonic whipped around to face Knuckles again, ready to argue. But Knuckles looked at him, his eyes firm, but the softest he had ever seen. Sonic hesitated, and Knuckles shook his head, knowing what he would say.

"Sonic. We need to rest. Tails would not want you to die just to get revenge for his death." Sonic looked away, fists drawn. There was truth in the echidna's words, but Sonic wanted to act now. He wanted to kill the bastard who destroyed his life. But Knuckles was right. He needed rest. He looked back up, eyes glinting.

"Fine. We'll attack tomorrow." He looked at Knuckles, who nodded in acceptance. The echidna was watching Sonic, Sonic could feel his gaze burning into his neck. "You can sleep anywhere. Choose a spot. I'm taking the couch." Knuckles was still a moment before he nodded again, and Sonic turned and walked out of the room, still feeling his violet gaze watch him as he left the room.

**-x-x-x-**

Knuckles watched Sonic depart from the room, and once he was gone let the true concern twinkle in his eyes. This wasn't Sonic. Sonic was always one to jump right into the battle at the precise moment of planning, yes...but that look in his eyes...The lust to kill. That had never been there before, and it actually scared Knuckles. This wasn't the Sonic he grew to respect and grew a strong friendship with. And seeing his rival break down over Tails's body...it almost caused him to go over the edge too. Sonic had never been one to show such emotions, and Knuckles never wanted to see the blue hedgehog collasp in grief like that again.

Knuckles stood there a few moments longer, watching the spot where Sonic had disappeared to last. Then, he sighed, rubbing his head with his hands. He turned to go down the opposite hallways, to where Sonic and Tails usually slept, their bedrooms shared, where one slept on one side, the other on the other side. Knuckles felt a stab of grief as he entered the room and turned on the light. Papers were scattered on Tails's desk, on the opposite side of the room, unfinished blueprints that would never be seen as the real invention. He sighed deeply, lifting a hand unconsciously to his chest. It was painful, the little kitsune out of their lives, but it was something they couldn't fix...He walked farther into the room, heading to the bed farthest away from Tails's desk. A wad of paper lying on the floor caught his eye, and he leaned over, picking it up and uncurling it. He stared at it a moment, and his violet eyes watered with tears. Quickly, he closed his eyes, wadding the paper up again, and putting it on the desk. His eyes swimming, Knuckles layed on the bed, staring up at the ceiling before sleep claimed him.

**-x-x-x-**

Sonic stared up at the ceiling, his eyes bloodshot from all the tears he shed that day. He rolled over, facing the wall on the opposite side of the room, not letting his gaze fly to the few pictures that were around the room. He kept his gaze set on the wall, not daring to look anywhere else in fear of seeing a picture he didn't want to see. He blinked slowly, head resting against the arm of the couch.

It was so painful, Tails's death. It felt like he had lost both legs, leaving him imoble and helpless. He felt exposed, vunerable, and alone in the world, even though his other best friend lay in the room next to him. But Tails...Tails was much more than his best friend. Ever since the hedgehog had found him, alone and crying in the middle of the woods, he had always felt something strong for the two tailed fox. He was like a brother Sonic never had. He was part of his soul, and without him, his soul was nothing, incomplete. It was the worst feeling to Sonic the Hedgehog.

But what hurt him the most...He closed his eyes tightly. Why, oh, _why _did he treat Tails the way he did? Why didn't he show the affection a brother should? Why did their last conversation have to be an _argument_? And why...why oh why did he have to die like that?

_You were supposed to save him..._

He shook his head, forcing the tears away from his eyes. That voice again...repeating the hurtful words through his mind. He pushed them away, curling up on the couch as best as he could.

_You never cared about him..._

He shook his head. "I did..." he whispered, squeezing his eyes closed again. "I did care about him."

_You never cared..._

"I did!" he whispered in a choked gasped. "I did! He was my brother! I loved him..."

_But did you ever _show_ the affection and love a brother should?_

"Leave me alone..." he whispered to the voice, though it didn't exist outside his mind. He knew that sentence was true, and it hurt him. He could imagine Tails there, shouting those words at him, the words beating him with their invisible fists that didn't exist. And he deserved it. He deserved it.

"_Sonic...d-don't leave me...okay_?"

"I won't let him get away with it, Tails," he said under his breath, unaware of the tears that was soaking the couch. "He won't get away with it. He'll die. He'll die. Your death won't be in vain, Tails...I'm sorry...so sorry..." He sobbed quietly, shaking his head and apologizing over and over, though Tails was no longer there to hear it. "I'm sorry Tails...please forgive me..."

And that was the worst kind of suffering; all of the words that are left unsaid.

"_Goodbye forever...Sonic...the Hedgehog..._"

**&&**

**End of Chapter**

**&&**

_You know, during this story, I have found myself crying alot on the chapters I write. They are quiet sad to me. Or maybe I'm just overemotional. Eh, probably the latter. :D Hopes you enjoyed the chapters, and I should have alot of speedy updates like this. This is a good story, and I spend at least 3-5 hours typing each chapter a night, and even manage to get it posted. But reviewers really help me too, so please review, even if you don't like it._

_Oh, and there may be some mistakes in here. See, there are cuss words in this. My sister sometimes goes through my stories without my knowing, so that's why you may find some sentences in here that may say 'son of a gun' instead of the other, or 'dang' instead of 'damn'. So I apologize, and if you spot those, please tell me!_

**Aiko-Chan SoT**


	4. Lust for Revenge

_Oh yeah, 'nother chapter! -loves typing the chapters and making fast updates- XD Yay for inspiration! And the reviews guys, they're amazing! I'm really glad people are enjoying them so much. -sniff- IT MEANS SO MUCH! -tear-_

_I realize this one is a little later than usual -sweatdrop-, but I was busy the other night. And I don't think I will be able to update for the next few days. Sisters got a birthday and we're going to Tennesse to shop, so I may update one or two more times this week. ; Then I'll continue this weekend. _

_Now, for the reviews!_

**aazngirlchibi **_Yeah they do sometimes. So it's best if I put those words in _after _I finish. And yeah, I put alot of effort into these stories. And you could possibly _be _jaded. lmao Thanks for continuing to be a regular reviewer!_

**shadesoflightanddark **_Thanks alot! I do put darkness and depression in my chapters. O.o I'm a psycho. MWAHAHA! Thanks for being a regular reviewer as well! I'm glad you're enjoying it!_

**Mentor Donatello **_Thanks for your review! And I do realize I have mistakes, but I use Microsoft Wordpad. O.o So it doesn't have that. It's just a basic typing...thing. O.o But I can understand why you're concerned about me being repetitive, but I don't think I will. I try not to, anyway. Thanks again for your review, and I'm glad you're enjoying the story!_

**crimson-obsidian-rose **_Thanks for being another one of my regular reviewers! Thanks alot. This has to be one of the most rewarding reviews, to actually know I'm a good writer and can bring life to fics that have been done so many times. Thanks so much. I hope I can continue to write as you say I do!_

**Jolt **_Yes, I understand where that's coming from. But I've realized that using Metal would be easier for me to get the chapters done quicker. And besides, I've never been really good with making ooc characters. So I hope you enjoy it anyway. Thanks for your review!_

**Ray Tails2 Prower **_Thanks so much! I try to make it emotional. I'm glad you like my writing skills! Thanks for the awesome review!_

**Ice the Pyro **_Very good take on the Metal vs. Steel thing. I see where you're coming from, and why you're saying it. But, whats the best way to kill your enemy than to attack the heart? You'll be seeing more on this subject when you get into what really happens in the battle that killed Tails. It will all become clear in this chapter and the next couple. Thanks for your concern though. _

_Thanks, everyone, for your reviews! It really means so much to me, having people enjoying my writing. It really helps me want to update faster. I just wish more of my readers of my other fics to be as faithful as you guys! And thanks to _**Meowth's Toon Dragon****crimson-obsidian-rose**_, and _**Ray Tails2 Prower **_for adding me to their story/author alert/favorite list! _

_Oh, and also, I should say; Amy, Shadow, and all the others that exist in the Sonic world aren't in this fic. Just pretend they don't exist. This is just the original trio._

**&&**

**To Say Goodbye**

_**Chapter 3:  
**__Lust for Revenge_

**&&**

_"No time to lose_

_We've got to more_

_Steady your hand_

_(I am losing site again)_

_Fire your guns_

_It's time to run_

_Blow me away_

_(I will stay in the mess I made)_

_After the fall_

_We'll shake it off_

_Show me the way."_

**Blow Me Away by Breaking Benjamin**

Sonic hardly slept that night. And when he did sleep, he had horrifying dreams. The voice he had pushed away so many times came back time and time again, haunting him with words that spoke truths and lies. And when he would awake from those dreams, he would find himself sobbing silently for several minutes until he fell asleep. And then, the process would repeat itself. In the end, as dawn approached, he decided to stay awake, staring at the wall and thinking of the plan, praying that it would work, hoping he could get vengence for his fallen friend.

Just as the sun was appearing through the windows, Sonic heard Knuckles stir in the other room. He waited, not moving, simply staring at the wall, until Knuckles walked into the room. When he appeared, the hedgehog closed his eyes, pretending to sleep so Knuckles wouldn't lecture him, and when the red echidna shook him, muttering his name under his breath, he opened on eye, sitting up immediatly and stretching, his green eyes narrowed into slits. This was it. This was the day he would get vengence for Tails death.

"This is is, Sonic," he heard Knuckles say, and he looked up at his longtime rival, at one of his closest friends. His eyes were narrowed, angry, and his hands were balled into tight fists. Sonic stood and looked at Knuckles, and the two shared a long moment of staring each other down, communicating like they had so many times before, just by using their eyes. Sonic finally closed his a moment before opening the again, and smiling sadly at Knuckles. The red echidna returned the sad smile, and Sonic saw the flash of grief there for their lost friends' lost presence.

Subconsciously, Sonic looked to his left, the place where Tails usually stood when the three were ready to go on another adventure. They would form one circle; Knuckles to the right of Sonic, Tails to the left. That was it. But now...now there was no Tails. No, it was an empty space, and it was a huge blow to Sonic's heart, and he cringed visibly, shaking his head sadly. Knuckles laid yet another comforting hand on his shoulder, and when Sonic looked at him, the red echidna was staring at the same place. They both stayed there for a long moment, until Knuckles's words broke the silence.

"You know," he said, and Sonic heard the strain in his voice as he struggled to keep it steady. "Tails wouldn't want us to fall apart in his...absence, Sonic." His tone was low and murmered, and Sonic simply looked away, suddenly angered. "He would want us to live on for him."

"Knuckles..." Sonic said, looking back at the echidna, who fell silent when he saw the look in Sonic's dull eyes. "Tails was my little brother as well as my best friend." He blinked rapidly, controlling the tears that threatened to water his eyes. "That guy was _a part _of me." There was silence for a moment as Sonic stared Knuckles directly in the eyes, no longer blinking away the tears. "I let him down, and when he died, part of me died." His voice was firm, but he heard the slightly shuddering of it, as his breathing became uneven. "Making sure he didn't die in vain is my only goal right now. Without Tails..." He paused, closing his eyes. "Without Tails, I _will _fall apart." He opened his eyes again, staring Knuckles down. "Hell, I _have _fallen apart." He stared at Knuckles for a few following moments before he turned away, heading for the door. "Now lets go." He walked out of the door, his eyes closed.

How _could_ he live without Tails? How could he survive with half of his soul. He took a shuddering breath, wondering what he would do after he had killed Metal. Would he simply curl up and die? Would he continue living, but a shell of his normal self? Or will die along with Metal during the battle? He didn't know what would happened, but he knew that, without Tails, he would never be the same Sonic.

He heard Knuckles shuffling along behind him, but didn't turn to the echidna. He began walking down the hill, his eyes trained on the mountain they would be climbing. His blood boiled in his veins, and he felt the anger rising again, but he had to let it go for now. He would save it for the fight, when he would really need it. He stopped at the bottom of the hill, and turned around, facing Knuckles who was looking up at the mountain. Sonic closed his eyes, imagining the battle that awaited, and swore he wouldn't lose to this...this bastard. He would die by his hands, and he would pay.

Knuckles finally took his eyes off the mountain, turning to Sonic. His eyes glinted with something mysterious, something the hedgehog didn't recongize in the depths of those violet eyes. The echidna grunted under his breath, and Sonic understood the unspoken command. He nodded, and, without turning to see if the echidna kept up, turned and started running.

He felt the wind blow at him hard as he ran, his feet kicking up dust. The normal exhiliration that he usually felt when running was gone, replaced by a need to kept going, a need to go faster, as if it would make him forget about what happened, about why he was fighting. He obeyed that instinct, letting his feet fly faster and faster, pressing his ears against his head as he sped up, letting the wind that rushed by him take away all the pain, let it control it and the anger that burned inside him. But still, he could not forget it. Faster and faster he got, until finally, he couldn't go any faster. Yet, the sting of Tails death remained, as if the wind refused to take all the suffering away from him, and turned away from him. He nearly screamed in frustration, letting his legs carry him as fast as he could go.

He was racing up the mountain of rocks for a single second, and then he was racing through the forest, the trees rushing past him, the wind trying to make him stop. But he refused. He kept running, running...running to the place where he would meet Metal, and give him justice for his crime. This was what kept him going, and for the second time that day, he wondered how the hell he would survive after he had accomplished that.

He saw the ruins before he passed them, and he skidded to an uneven stop, kicking up dust and rocks in the process. He looked up at the ruins, where four large poles stood up, crumbling from so many years of weather and neglect. Right in the middle stood a tall rock tower, crumbling away as well. It was pointing to the sky, shaped like a rectangle turned on it's side. Two other rock towers stood next to it, shaped like rugged triangles. Those two had nearly collaped, leaving nothing but broken rock. Sonic glared at the largest tower in the middle, knowing somehow that this is where his enemy waited, never knowing what was coming.

It wasn't long before Knuckles appeared, gliding over the trees over Sonic's head. He landed on the ground gracefully, turning his gaze to the ruins as well, following Sonic's gaze. They stood there a moment, the silence only broken by the wind whispering in the trees. Just beyond those trees was the clearing where the bloodspilling battle had taken place, where Tails had fallen.

He turned to Knuckles, his eyes blazing with the thought of the coming battle. After a moment, Knuckles looked back, and the two stared at each other, once again speaking, though saying nothing aloud at all. And at once, both closed their eyes and looked back at the ruins, and stepped out of the forest.

It was the same clearing. The battle that took place here flashed through his mind as he stared at what was left of the blood after the battle. The rock wall near the edge of the clearing was crumbling, and Sonic remembered vividly being thrown against the hard wall. Footprints overlapped footprints in the dirt. Even the rain couldn't wash away what horrors had happened here. And Sonic was forced to close his eyes a moment, forcing the terrifying thought to the back of his mind. Anger boiled in his blood, and this time, he didn't even attempt to push it away. He let it strenghten him, let it flow through him like a drug, a dangerous drug, a drug that would get vengence for the death of his best friend.

At once he stepped forward in to the clearing, heading around back as Knuckles had pointed out on the drawing back at the house. Knuckles was following close behind him. He could hear the echidna's footsteps against the ground. He walked slowly, silently to the back, looking for the large boulder Knuckles had pointed out. Once he reached the back, he saw it, pressed against the ruins like it was apart of it. Glancing at Knuckles momentarily, he headed to the rock, gripped it, and immediatly starting pulling on it. Knuckles came to help, and pretty soon, with the efforts of both Knuckles and Sonic, they moved the rock, and the tunnel leading into the largest of the three towers loomed in the darkness in front of him.

"You go first," Sonic said to Knuckles, looking up at the echidna when he spoke. Knuckles was ready to protest, but Sonic beat him to it. "Look, you know the way around, I don't. Lead me." He stepped aside, allowing the disapproving Knuckles to crawl in first. Sonic crawled in behind him, the anger throbbing in his bloodstream, and getting stronger with each passing moment. He let it fill him more, give him the strenght he would need to kill off Tails murderer. The darkness swallowed them both, and Sonic was forced to rely on his hearing, listening to Knuckles as he shuffled around in the darkness in front of him. Sonic had trouble breathing in the closed in, darkened space, but forced his breath slowly, in and out.

It wasn't long before there was a light ahead of him. Sonic saw Knuckles outlined in front of him, crawling his way to the exit of the small tunnel. Sonic hurried behind him, and nearly colided with Knuckles when the echidna stopped suddenly, just at the exit. Sonic resisted the urge to shout at Knuckles out of impatience. After all, he was making sure all was safe, wasn't he? After a moment, Knuckles continued, crawled out of the space and into the area outside. Sonic emerged a moment later, gasping quietly for breath as he pulled himself out and stood next to Knuckles. The two of them looked around, and Sonic was surprised at the size of the place.

It was a least three stories high, and the room was very wide, very open. Sunlight flittered through holes that had been formed by the crumbling away of rock. Several large statues stood around the wide room, carved out of rock to look like people, animals, and abstract objects. On the opposite side of the room was what looked like a seat of a rock throne. Sonic and Knuckles were hidden behind a curtain of crumbling rock, out of sight from anything within the cavern itself. There was a cave within the main cavern, leading out of it. Sonic quietly wondered which one of these held Metal.

"Nothing has changed," he heard Knuckles whisper, and his voice was so quiet, Sonic had to strain his ears to hear him. "Everything's exactly the same." Sonic simply glanced at Knuckles, then turned his gaze back to the cavern, eyeing the black cave that led out of the main cavern. What lay beyond the darkness, he wondered. Was Metal waiting for him in the tunnel, to attack at the precise moment his guard was dropped? He wondered briefly if his doppleganger knew he was here. _No matter,_ he thought, the anger boiling in his body. _He'll die anyway. He won't get away with killing Tails..._ Sonic, resisting the urge to shout for Metal to come out, to face him, turned to Knuckles, the anger clear in his emerald eyes.

"Where does that lead?" he asked the red echidna, nearly forgetting to lower his voice. Knuckles glanced down at him as Sonic pointed to the cave on the opposite side. The echidna's violet eyes narrowed slightly.

"To ancient dungeons," he whispered back. Sonic felt a jolt of surprise. Dungeons? In these old ruins? He looked back at the darkened caves.

"Do you think that's where Metal is?" Sonic could hear the lust for revenge in his own voice. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Knuckles glance at him once quickly before setting his gaze back on the caves.

"...Possibly," he said, and Sonic didn't miss the hestiation. He nodded, narrowing his eyes.

"Then thats where we need to go." he said a little louder, not taking his eyes off the caves leading to the dungeon. He started to stand, but Knuckles stopped him with a firm grip on his arm. Sonic struggled against it for a moment until Knuckles hissed at him.

"Do you want to die?!" Knuckles' voice was firm and angry. "You can't just waltz over there without expecting an attack!" Sonic continued struggling, but his struggles weakened. "This is something that needs to be planned out Sonic! You'll be killed! Then _I'll _have to avenge both Tails and _you_!" Sonic stopped abrutly, but Knuckles grip didn't loosen on his arm. "And I _won't _do that." He looked over his shoulder at the red echidna, realizing for the first time Knuckles was showing true remorse for Tails. His violet eyes were narrowed, stern, but Sonic saw the glinting of grief in his eyes. Sonic watched him for several moments, and finally relaxed, sitting back down on the ground. Knuckles let go of his arm and looked away.

"Well, what do we do then?" Sonic said after a moment of silence, and when Knuckles turned to look at him, the remorse was gone, hidden behind pure determination and a small glint of gratitude toward Sonic for not letting the subject linger. The red echidna looked around the cavern a moment, and Sonic waited as he worked out a safe trail from their hidding spot to the caves. He was several minutes until Knuckles spoke again, turning back to Sonic.

"The walls are crumbling everywhere," he said, pointing to the broken rocks stacked against the wall near them. "We could hide behind most of it." Sonic followed his finger, tracing the route with his eyes. But near the middle of the room, their was no crumbling rocks to hide behind.

"And when we run out of hiding spots...?" he said, pointing toward the empty space. Knuckles half grinned, looking at him.

"Well, we run."

Sonic said nothing, staring at the empty space. It was at least 30 feet to run. And, even with his speed, that was dangerous like that. Anything could come or shoot at them, lasers, guns, badniks. Heck, Metal himself! But Sonic didn't complain. He would get through anything the robot threw at him. He would kill him before he knew he had come...if he didn't know already, that is.

"Fine. Let's go." Sonic turned to look at Knuckles, the anger in his blood making his eyes gleam slightly. Knuckles turned to look at him, and green and violet met, sharing a single moment of agreement, a single moment remembering why they were here. Sonic broke the look first, turning to the first pile of rocks, taking a deep breath.

Quickly, and nearly at the precise same moment, both Sonic and Knuckles stepped forward, and ran to the rubble of rocks. There was no noise, no attacks from any sides as the two burst into the opening, and a single second later disappeared among more rubble. They stood motionless once they were concealed, hardly daring to breath. But when there was no explosions, no sounds of gunshots, the two looked at each other in confusion. That was odd...

"Nothing happened," Knuckles said, perplexed. His eyesbrows were raised in confusion, and he was looking out beyond the rubble. Sonic looked too, and saw nothing, no badniks coming after them, no laser beams pointed at them. It was total silence. "Nothing."

"I don't understand," Sonic said, the strain in his voice, He was expecting something, anything, to come after him, and although it wasn't a disappointment, it was unusual to the hedgehog, who was used to things immediatly attacking without a moments wait. And now...nothing. "Nothing came after us?" He looked over at Knuckles.

"Unusual," he heard Knuckles murmur. Knuckles looked at Sonic, meeting his eyes. "Well, lets not get cocky yet." Sonic said nothing, only looking at the next pile of rocks. "We still have several yards to go." Sonic nodded, and both got ready to run again.

"Ready?" Sonic whispered, preparing himself to dash. "Now!"

Immediatly both shot into the open, expecting gunfire, laser fire, the screech of badniks. But even as the two reached the other side, nothing happened. Something was wrong. Sonic felt his heart beating in his chest, and he shook his head, irritated.

"It's like fighting an invisible enemy," he growled, looking at the last and longest stretch to the dungeons. Would they be attacked then, at the last possible moment when they would normally drop their guard?

"I know. We don't know if they'll strike or not." Knuckles was growling deep in his throat, a sound that compared with that of a hum. Sonic strained his ears, listening for something, anything. But besides Knuckles growling, there was silence. Even their own breathing was almost silent. He was frustrated, annoyed. Why wasn't anything coming after them?

"Do you think he knows we're here?" Sonic asked Knuckles, blinking slowly as he measured the final distance. He heard Knuckles drop the growl and sigh.

"I don't know, Sonic," he admitted. Sonic turned to face him, feeling so exposed and vunerable. Was there an enemy, or was nothing there, and they were simply paranoid? "Maybe he doesn't. But I thought he always knew your moves... Damn it!" The curse hissed from Knuckles mouth, his voice dripping with irritation. "It's common knowledge that when you kill someones best friend, they're gonna come after you." Sonic said nothing, looking away.

"But he's a robot, Knuckles," he murmured, shaking his head as he leaned against the wall, crossing his arms and sighing. He felt Knuckles's eyes burning against his back. "He doesn't think. He doesn't feel. He's a robot, a robot built to simply kill _me_." He paused, looking down at his feet. "He...Maybe he doesn't know my _every_ move. When he killed Tails he...he ran." Sonic felt the grief rise again, the grief that had been pushed away when the anger had taken control. He was nearly shaking, the anger and sadness mixing to form an emotion Sonic was sick of feeling; the helplessness and vengence filled hatred that pulsed through him. "He just...ran. What if..." Sonic hesitated, looking to the rock wall he leaned against. "What if he learned to attack my...my heart instead of me?"

Silence followed his words, silence that was so loud, so deafening, Sonic had to press his ears back against his head to keep his earsdrums from bursting. He found the crumbling rock suddenly interesting, and stared at it, scratching the surface with his finger. He didn't hear Knuckles even more, nor did he even hear the breathing from the red echidna. He was perfectly silent. Sonic didn't want to turn to face him, to make sure he was still there. He simply stared at the crumbling rock, tears making his vision blurry. Since they buried Tails, Sonic had wondered this; if Metal had learned to attack his heart instead of him physically.

"Sonic." Knuckles voice broke the harsh silence, and Sonic could finally lift his ears back up, but he still didn't dare to look at him. He just waited for the next words. "Sonic, if that's true...He can't get me." Sonic finally dared to look over his shoulder at Knuckles, and was surprised to see the determination that layed there. "He can't touch me, Sonic. He couldn't if he tired." Knuckles then smiled at Sonic, a smile that showed determination and promise. Sonic, despite everything, for the first time since Tails died, smiled back, whole heartedly, and through a shaking voice, said,

"Don't die, Knuckles."

Knuckles the Echidna stared at Sonic the Hedgehog for a few following seconds, and nodded.

"I promise."

After a moment, Sonic turned around, and the two gave each other a thumbs up, which within their friendship signaled a fullhearted swear, one that, when broken, meant a serious lecture and fight. And with that single thumbs up between the two, both promised that, during this battle, neither would die unless they died together. Once the swear was over, both turned to the last 30 feet of the open space, and prepared to run.

"Go!"

Both said the word at the same time, and blasted out into the open, covering the last 30 feet in a total of 4 seconds. They blasted into the cave, not daring to slow down until they were deep into the darkness. Sonic finally skidded to a stop, feeling Knuckles nearly collide with him. He stayed silent, listening for the onslaught of attacks. But again, there wasn't any. Sonic heard his and Knuckles breathing echo around him, and he felt closed in, clastrophobic, in the dark space.

"Knuckles, how far is this thing?" he asked, wrapping his hands around his arms, feeling a chill that had nothing to do with cold.

"Not long. There's a few turns though. That's why you can't see the exit." Knuckles's voice seemed to echo around him, and he shuddered, glad that the darkness covered it up.

"Got it," he replied, and he started walking.

It wasn't far before Sonic nearly colided with a wall. He felt to his left, felt a wall, and turned right. He walked along the right corridor, holding his hands out in front of him to feel for more sudden walls. Again, he nearly collided with one, and this time turned left. He was beginning to feel irritated about the darkness surrounding him, irritated that it seemed to never end. But then, when he turned left a final time, he saw the exit, a dim light coming from the end of the seemingly endless tunnel. His heart hammered in his throat. This was it. This was when he would kill Metal, kill him for slashing through his little brother like he had done. As he got closer and closer to the exit, his blood boiled more and more, and he was ready, ready to slash through the hunk of metal that was supposed to be like him, but was instead a heartless bastard.

Finally, the exit was there, and at the end of the tunnel, Sonic stopped, looking out of it into the opening. Several rock cells lined each side, no openings in most of them, though one or two had openings that looked like doors. Sonic shuddered wondering how they kept the prisoners inside, but he had a pretty good idea he didn't want to voice.

"Sonic, are you ready?" Knuckles's voice broke through his thoughts, and Sonic swilved his ear to the side, pricking them to hear his words. The hedgehog nodded, blinking. "I'm behind you, buddy." Sonic looked over his shoulder, smiling at Knuckles again, the determination and gratitude glinting through his eyes as well as his smile.

"Thanks, buddy," he said quietly, then turned back to the exit. He took a deep breath, let it out as a sigh, and stepped into the dim light of the ancient dungeons. Knuckles stepped out behind him, and was immediatly at his side, fists raised. Sonic felt the blood boiling in his veins, felt the anger reach the point where it was nearly impossible to keep it bottled in. His heart raced and his eyes burned with pure hatred.

"Come out Metal!" he shouted, his voice echoing in the open room. "Show yourself, you damn coward!"

Sonic heard clicking and beeping nearby, and braced himself, feeling Knuckles tense beside him. The quiet noises continued a moment or two, and Sonic felt the tension around him and inside him nearly explode. He gritted his teeth, growling, and took a step forward.

"Damn it, Metal!" he screeched, squeezing his fists tighter together. "Get your pathetic ass out here!"

The beeping and clicking got louder, and Sonic tensed again, ready to attack and lash out, ready to kill, his muscles braced for anything Metal could throw at him.

And then, from the darkness at the end of the stretching hallway of the dungeon, Sonic saw it. Red eyes suddenly flashed, and glared at Sonic and Knuckles, who was now stationed at Sonic's side. Then, with a whirring noise that sounded like the chuckle of a robot, Metal appeared, his red eyes glaring right at the two, narrowing and dilating as he studied the two opponents in front of him. His body, blue like Sonic's, was shining in the little sunlight that flittered through the rocks that had crumbled away from the wall. The metal hedgehogs quills were not drooping like Sonic's, but stood straight out behind him. The robot stopped when he was fully in sight, and his metal muzzle was twisted into a robotic smile.

"I've been waiting for you...Sonic the Hedgehog."

**&&  
End of Chapter  
&&**

_Oh, the suspense! Oh, the cliffyhangerness! Oh, the HAPPINESS THAT THIS STORY IS GOOD! -jumps around and dodges tomatoes that are thrown from cliffyhanger-haters- MWAHAHAH!_

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I am really glad that you, my faithful readers, are enjoying this story as much as I am writing it. Thanks for reviewing and sticking with it!

**Aiko-Chan SoT**


	5. Repeating History

_Thanks again for so many reviews. Really, I had no idea that everyone liked it so much. 3 It makes me so happy:D I really love this story too, and when I reread the story sometimes, I love how I did it and have to check to make sure it's mine. xD Kinda weird. This will be the last chapter until possibly Sunday, so enjoy! 3_

**shadesoflightanddark - **_Yes, it will. One hell of a damn fight. 3_

**azngirlchibi - **_Yes, I have tried to keep it in OOC as best as I could! 3 Thanks so much for the support! I'm really glad you like it!_

**Twisted HiFox - **_Thats fine. :) And thanks alot!_

**Ice the Pyro - **_Oh, okay. I see. Sorry. :) But I see where you're getting at. Okay, I guess I put him a little OOC... -shrug- Well, he's IC, but I added some, I guess you could say. You would be good at writing a story with Metal in it. :) And thanks! That song really does work! I added it as the theme song to Sonic on my profile! Thanks!_

**crimson-obsidian-rose - **_Thanks so much! I've put alot of effort in this story, and I'm glad to see people notice it. Thanks again! And yes. I really miss when the trio was so close. That's mostly why I wrote it, to bring back to life the love between the trio. Brotherly, of course. 3_

**kittknight - **_Thanks so much:3_

**Mayumiligaya - **_xD Thanks for your review!_

_Glad everyone likes it. :3 Enjoy this chapter!_

**&&  
To Say Goodbye**

_**Chapter 4:  
**__Repeating History__**  
**_**&&**

_"...So what if you see the darkest side of me?  
No one will ever change this animal I have become  
Help me believe it's not the real me  
Somebody help me tame this animal I have become..."  
_** Animal I Have Become by Three Days Grace**

"I have been waiting for you...Sonic the Hedgehog."

Metal stared at him, the glare clear in his red eyes. Sonic felt numb for a moment, simply staring at the robot, his doppleganger, the only feeling that of his blood boiling. He didn't even blink, and his eyes narrowed slowly as he stared at his copy. He knew he wanted to rip the robots gears out, wanted it to die, he knew it. But he couldn't act, couldn't move. He could only stand there as he recalled the last battle with Metal, the one where he lost Tails.

_Rocks broke from the wall, falling on top of him and nearly crushing him under their weight. But he quickly dug himself out, blood dripping from his mouth only slightly. Rain that fell from the sky hard dripped from his head. He was panting, his entire body throbbing with pain. He stood in front of him, his red eyes staring at his green ones before he smirked. Green eyes flashed defiantly, and he took position, spreading his legs and raising his arms to fight. But he was exhausted, weak. He could barely remain standing. Red eyes narrowed and were suddenly gone, and all he saw was the ball of metal spinning toward him, quills sharper than knives. He could only watch as it got closer and closer. _

_And then there was a flash of orange, and a young kitsune stood in front of him._

_"NO!" Sonic screamed, thunder booming with his voice, and ran, ran as fast as he could, racing his copy, racing time itself. But as time slowed him down, his doppleganger seemed to go faster. With another scream that was from him, and then there was blood... _

_He heard the gasp of pain, felt blood splattered against him, and when he opened his eyes he saw a two-tailed fox being thrown toward him, blood spraying in the air. Time suddenly stopped, and for a moment it was just that; blood, the kitsunes body, and him. Only when he heard the body hit the ground did he break from his trance, the horror freezing his blood._

_And he screamed._

_"NO!"_

"No..."

He was no longer numb. The rage was back, making his blood burn through his veins, making his vision drip red. His fists clenched tight, and he stared at Metal, shaking, and if looks could kill, Metal would no longer be standing.

"You..." He heard himself speak, heard the word whispering through his gritted teeth. But it didn't sound like his own, didn't sound like Sonic the Hedgehogs voice. But he didn't care. Tails's murderer stood _feet _in front of him, smiling. "You killed Tails..." He still saw the blood from the battle in his vision, saw it drench him, his best friends blood. He made the rage twist in his belly, made the hatred stronger, made the lust for revenge burn inside him. "You killed him!"

And he lunged.

His feet pushed against the ground and he was flying toward his metal doppleganger, his teeth gritting, a cry of pain and rage escaping from his lips. He was moving so fast, his feet didn't seem to move under him. He got closer and closer, and when he reached Metal, he raised a fist, aiming it right at the doppleganger's stomach.

"Bastard, _I'll kill you_!" he screamed and his fist flew down at the robots stomach, fast and strong.

But then, he was gone. His fist went through air, and slammed into the wall next to him as he whipped around, letting out a yell of anger. His green eyes landed on Metal, who was standing next to Knuckles. The red echidna was ready to throw a punch at the robot, the anger and lust for revenge shining in his eyes as he let his punch fly. The doppleganger of Sonic hardly glanced at Knuckles before it leaped into the air, dodging the punch, and lunged for him, his metal hands reaching for his throat.

"Don't touch him!" Sonic screamed, and started running, leaping into the air and curling into a ball. He flew toward Metal, spinning faster and faster, and just as Metal was about to close his fist around Knuckles's windpipe, Sonic struck into the doppleganger's body. He heard the grunt of pain, and the crash of metal slamming against rock. Sonic uncurled quickly, landing on his feet and facing Metal. He glanced quickly at Knuckles who was picking himself off the ground, but seemed to be okay. When Sonic looked back from the small glance, Metal was coming at him fast, running with the same speed as him. Sonic twisted around just as Metal threw a punch at him. He lashed out with his own punch as he jerked around, the punch landed directly on the dopplegangers face. Another grunt and he was forced to the ground a few feet away by the force.

Sonic reacted quickly, leaping into action again. He leaped into the air, sailing toward Metal quickly. The doppleganger was already on his feet. Sonic flew at him fast, his foot ready to slice through the air at the robots face. But this time, Metal was faster, and leaped before Sonic could attack. Eyes wide, Sonic tried desperatly to turn around as fast as he could, but before he could felt something slam against his back, and with a cry of pain, he was sent sprawling to the ground. He twisted again, landing on the ground ungracefully on his feet. His gaze whipped toward his dopplegangers, his eyes red with his hatred.

"Give it up, hedgehog," the doppleganger said, his voice cold. "You'll never win." Sonic trembled with anger, his rage making it nearly impossible to sit still.

"You killed Tails, bastard," he snarled back, his fists drawn again. "I have to win."

"Stupid hedgehog." Metal's voice was cold, mocking, and he chuckled quietly. This only made Sonic want to kill him more. "Did I place him between me and you? Do you really think I wanted to kill him to get to you?" He laughed again, a little louder this time, and crossed his arms. He gaze narrowed, the red eyes glaring. "I was made to kill _you_, no one else. I didn't mean to kill the child."

Sonic felt the hatred build, his blood flaming with the flashing adreniline. "Don't like to me, Metal," he said coldly, his eyes narrowed. "You sliced right through him and --"

"Ran. Right." Metal narrowed his eyes more. "Why do you think I ran, Sonic?"

Sonic laughed mockingly, pointing at him. "Because you're a coward." He saw Metal's eyes alight with fire, and he was suddenly gone. Sonic whipped around to find him, and when he did was struck against the face, sending him flying backwards and crashing into the wall. He quickly stood, ignoring the pain that shot through him, and growled at Metal.

"No," Metal said, his arm lowering to his side. "Because I felt what you did. I felt the pain." Sonic felt surprise trickle into his mind, and said nothing, only listening, ready to attack again. "And I couldn't fight, I couldn't stay. I feel what you do, Sonic." He blinked, the clicking beginning again. "I thought I was dying.

"But then, I felt your rage, your hatred, and it was all gone. The suffering disappeared like that." He smiled again, a smug grin that made Sonic's eyes flash with anger. "Do you know why, Sonic?" Again, Sonic said nothing, only glaring at his doppleganger with pure hatred burning in his eyes. "Because it's what I feed off of; you anger. Every single time you feel rage and hatred, Sonic, _I _get more powerful." He laughed coldly, and he was suddenly lifting into the air, levitating. At his words Sonic felt bile rise in his throat. Power...He was powered by his Sonic's rage...

"And I've realized that the pain and suffering you feel is slowly killing you. Eventually, you'll die, and my job will be complete." He chuckled again, his laugh growing until it was loud, echoing around the ruins, rumbling around them. Sonic felt the bile rise again in his throat, his mind racing as he worked out what Metal was saying. He knew that the pain of losing Tails was killing him. He knew, and he was going to use that and the hatred Sonic felt burning in his heart for him. He clenched his fists, fighting the fear that prickled in his mind when he realized immediatly what Metal was going to do. He was going to go for Knuckles.

"With every life taken from you, Sonic, you grow weaker. You may feel strong with the hatred flowing through you, but the pain is stronger, the pain will be your downfall." He was floating toward him now, and Sonic braced himself for attack. But Metal simply hovered there, arms crossed and eyes glaring down at Sonic. "But alike you, I grow stronger, and I learn more. When everything is taken away from you, you will die. Those no doubt about it." He glanced at Knuckles, and Sonic gritted his teeth, shaking his head.

"You so much as _touch _him..." Sonic trailed off, looking at Knuckles, who glanced back at him. Metal chuckled again, looking at Knuckles with his arms still crossed. He floated to him, and Sonic reacted, racing to the echidna's side. Metal continued to get closer, and Sonic tensed, blocking Metal from Knuckles. But the echinda grunted in protest, and shoved Sonic away. Sonic stumbled away, glaring back at Knuckles quickly, seeing the anger flashing there.

"I'll fight my battles, Sonic," the echidna said, turning to face Metal Sonic, who landed on the ground in front of Knuckles. The red echidna lifted his fists, a snarl appearing on his face as he glared down Metal. "You killed Tails, bastard," he growled, stepping forward once. "I'll kill you." And Knuckles leaped.

"No, Knuckles!" Sonic screamed, and quickly jumped into action. He leaped a second after Knuckles did, racing at Metal from the side as Knuckles faced him head on. Time slowed as the two neared the doppleganger, who simply stood, doing nothing but looking straight ahead. Sonic and Knuckles neared the menace at the same time, and with a cry of rage and vengence, the two lifted their fists, and attacked.

To Sonic's utter shock and horror, Metal easily dodged each punch, simply moving his head. Then, with an evil chuckle that sent chills down Sonic's spine, Metal retaliated, and Sonic was struck hard against his back. With a cry of pain, Sonic was thrown away like a ragdoll, spinning fast through the air. He desperatly tried to control his spinning, and succeded, turning himself around and curling into a ball again. He spun through the air at Metal, and he felt his body crash into the metal of his dopplegangers side. The impact sent him sprawling to the ground, and he landed on his back, cringing. He opened his eyes, quickly getting to his feet. Desperatly, he searched for Knuckles again, and saw his friend getting up from the ground, scratched and battered, but okay. Sonic turned back this time, to see Metal spinning toward him with the same attack that killed Tails. And he froze with horror.

_The metal clone cut through the air, and Sonic watched as his doppleganger cut through Tails' flesh, cutting through it with ease. Sonic felt his blood freeze with horror, his feet stopping under him, and blood sprayed the air. He watched as his best friend stood a second longer before he fell to his knees, and then collasping on the ground, where he lay still. From beyond the limp body, Sonic saw Metal, his red eyes wide with horror. And then, he was gone._

_"TAILS!" Sonic screamed as Tails body struck against the ground, blood pouring from his small body. Sonic made his feet work, running toward his little brothers body with speed he never knew he had. "Tails!" He fell to his knees, skidding to his best friends body on them, and clutching the kitsunes small frame, turning him over gently. Blood dripped onto him, falling to the ground as it rolled off of him. Thunder boomed overhead again, and rain splattered on the kitsunes face. Sonic stared in horror at the horrible wound that slashed down the front of his body. Tails's eyes were closed, but his breath still rose and fell. _

_"Tails! Oh, God, little bro', wake up!" Sonic said, ruffling the 10 year olds hair with his hand. He picked the body up, placing it in his lap, cradling Tails's head with his hands. "Tails, please wake up!" Fear clutched his heart tightly, and he felt the warm tears leaking into his eyes._

_And then, Tails's eyes fluttered open, and he weakly looked up at Sonic._

_"S-Sonic..." The kitsunes voice was weak, hoarse, and Sonic breathed slowly, smiling down at his brother._

_"I'm here, Tails," he said, his voice shaking as he struggled to control it. The wound was still bleeding, and Tails eyes drooped, and he cringed in pain. His hand lifted slightly, reaching for Sonic, and Sonic took his brothers hand, squeezing it with his own._

_"Sonic...?" Tails said, looking up at his big brother with his eyes shining. "I'm...sorr-"_

_"No, Tails," Sonic demanded firmly, squeezing his hand again as tears began to fall. "Don't say anything. Save your strenght." Tails shook his head, chuckling weakly. He clutched Sonic's hand tightly, closing his eyes. He opened them a moment later, fear shining there._

_"Sonic, I'm scared..." he whimpered, and cringed. Sonic swallowed the sob that rose in his throat, the guilt that made his heart burn painfully._

_"It's okay, Tails. There's...nothing to be afraid of, buddy." Thunder boomed again, the earth shaking underneath them. Sonic felt nothing in the world mattered, only the fact that Tails lay dying in his arms. The kitsune shuddered in his arms, and Sonic pulled him closer, ignoring how the blood poured over him as he hugged the small kitsune to keep him warm._

_"Sonic..." the kitsune whispered into his ear, shuddering again. "D-don't leave me...okay?" Sonic shook his head violently, closing his eyes and hugging his brother closer. _

_"I won't, Tails...I...I promise." He opened his eyes again, looking at the kitsunes face. The twin-tailed fox was smiling up at him, his eyes wide. _

_"Sonic...I...I'm s...sor...ry.." The small kitsune fell limp in his arms, the only life Sonic saw was the shining of his eyes, which were growing dimmer with each second. Sonic shook him gently, shuddering himself now._

_"No Tails...please...don't leave me...I need you..." The kitsune blinked once slowly, his smile growing despite how limp he was._

_"I love you...Sonic..." the kitsune said, his hand squeezing Sonic's one last time. Sonic was sobbing now, quietly, but still crying._

_"I...love you...too...lil bro..." he said quietly, hugging his brother closer, feeling the warmth leaving him. His eyes were becoming glassy, his smile still plastered on his face._

_"Goodbye forever...Sonic...the Hedgehog..." And like that, Tails died in the blue hedgehogs arms, the ghost of his last smile pointed at the sky. _

_"No...Tails! Tails? Wake up!" He shook the small kitsune gently, but nothing happened, and he only fell again into Sonic's arms. "Damn it, Tails, don't die...Tails! Oh God, TAILS!"_

In the single second Metal was seen coming toward Sonic, the memories exploded in his mind. And when they ended, Metal was directly in front of Sonic, his quills sharper than a knife spinning toward him fast. Sonic did nothing, simply watched, ready to accept death, to get away from the pain that encased his soul. He almost welcomed it, hoping it would take him quickly. He didn't even try to move, simply stared at Metal as he got closer and closer.

But then, the evil robot changed direction suddenly, just as he reached Sonic, and whipped toward Knuckles. Sonic was still frozen, and when he saw the flash of light along Metal's body as he changed direction, he finally realized what happened. He whipped around, and saw the doppleganger nearing Knuckles, who was staring, frozen, at Metal got closer. Sonic felt panic prick him in the chest.

"Knuckles! _MOVE_!" he screamed, running after Metal, his legs aching with the speed he was going. He was going at an impossible speed, but even at his speed, he didn't reach Knuckles in time. He saw Metal's sharp quills slice into Knuckles, and saw the blood spray the air.

"KNUCKLES!" Sonic screamed, and a millasecond after blood met the air, Sonic had attacked Metal, throwing the Metal doppleganger away from his friend. The robots sharp quills slashed through Sonic's arm, and he cried out as he blood flew in the air. Metal crashed hard into the opposite wall, so hard that it collasped, crumbling and falling on top of Metal. But Sonic didn't see it. He was watching in horror as history seemed to repeat itself, and Knuckles, eyes wide and staring straight ahead, his face still twisted in the look of shock, blood dripping through the slash across his stomach, fell forward, and collasped with a crash to the ground.

_"Sonic...d-don't leave me...okay?"_

"No...

_"I won't Tails...I...I promise..."_

"God...Oh, God, no..."

_"Sonic...I...I'm s...sor...ry..."_

"Please, no...Knuckles..."

_"No Tails...please...don't leave me...I need you..."_

"No...not again...

_"I love you...Sonic..."_

"It can't happen again..."

_"I...love you...too...lil bro..."_

"No...No..._No_..."

_"Goodbye forever...Sonic...the Hedgehog..."_

"Damn, it...no..."

_"No...Tails! Tails? Wake up! Damn it, Tails, don't die...Tails! Oh God, TAILS!"_

"KNUCKLES!!"

**&&**

**End of Chapter**

**&&**

_Oh, man. Cliffy! Sad, huh? Poor Knuckles! -laughes evilly and dodges thrown food- I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and don't let this push you away from the story. Remember, in the immortal words of Albus Dumbledore, "not all is as it seems"..._

Anyway, I've decided something; I'm gonna make this into a series. I have an entire story planned out. But of course, if you think it would just be better for me to simply add it to this story, review and let me know! Well, hell, likes take a vote!

Vote time!

Would you rather me

1) Continue the story on this story

_2) or turn it into a series (possibly a trilogy) under the main name of _"To Say Goodbye"_?_

So, vote and be happy:3 And also, I need a favor...

**Any artists that can draw Sonic and Co., message me if you take requests. **_ 3 If you do, I have a big job for you! And I would love it! Just message me for more info!_

**Aiko-Chan SoT**


	6. Breaking the Habit

_Oh yeah! This is an awesome chapter! I loved the way I wrote it, though it's short. I couldn't think of anything else to include. -scratches head- But I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. _

_And I did realize that I repeated alot in the previous chapter. I fixed that, and I'll soon be looking over the entire series and fixing the mistakes and uploading them back up. Nothing major will happen though. Just small grammer mistakes and mispelled/missing words. _

_Anyway, for my reviewers!_

**Ice the Pyro - **_Well, thanks. I told you it would work out. :D And I hope to see that story. So you can draw? Care to do a request for little old me? I'll pm you with the details if you agree._

**Snax - **_Oh, he doesn't go crazy, per say. o.o -hides- But you'll enjoy this chapter hopefully. :3_

**Delta Operator - **_Thanks! I know, I felt horrible killing Tails off, but it was making me type it. It was like, type this story or I'll KILL YOU! o.o You know...threatening me..._

**azngirlchibi - **_lol. And yeah, I saw the repeatingness in it. o.o Sorry. And yes, Sad was what I was aiming for lmao. :D Hope you enjoy this chapter!_

**shadesoflightanddark - **_I know! I'm SO horrid! xD -laughs evilly along with you- I'm glad you're enjoying it. :3 _

**crimson-obsidian-rose ­- **_Thanks so much! I'm glad you like it so much. I guess my readers do like it as much as I do writing it. :)_

_Thanks alot for the support and reviews guys. They mean more than I can express:) They make me happy. -grins- And thanks to _**sonicmilahedgie****sukura123****Angelus-aluvs****The Great Valley Guardian**_, and _**Ice the Pyro **_for adding me to their author/story alerts/favorites. Anyway, here's chapter 5!_

**&&&  
To Say Goodbye**

_**Chapter 5:  
**__Breaking the Habit  
_**&&**

_"...Clutching my cure  
I tightly lock the door  
I try to catch my breath again  
I hurt much more  
Than anytime before  
I have no options left again..."  
_** Breaking the Habit by Linkin Park**

"KNUCKLES!!"

His scream echoed around him, and he stood staring at the red echidna's body, his eyes wide with horror. Everything was repeating itself, everything was happening again. Knuckles was dead, and now, Sonic...was alone. The pain ate at him, making him nearly fall over from it. But he stood his ground, letting the tears drip from his horror-filled eyes as the red echidna layed motionless before him, dead...killed by the same attack that killed Tails.

And from behind him, Metal chuckled.

And just like that, he snapped. The pain was gone, had disappeared, and was replaced by terrible, raw hatred. His eyes burned red, his fists clenching at his sides as Metal's cold laugh echoed around them, bouncing off the rock walls. Sonic stared at Knuckles the Echidna, feeling the rage eat at him, feeling it power him. Knuckles was dead, Tails was dead...and both were killed by Metal. He closed his eyes, squeezing them shut, feeling his entire body shake with the rage burning through his body.

"Hows it feel, Sonic?" Metal said, and his laugh rang out again. "You've lost everything now. You have nothing left, nothing left to fight for." Sonic heard the metal clanking as Metal stepped closer, heard the clicking noise as Metal narrowed his eyes. "And it's _your fault_." His cold laugh would've shaken anyone to the bone, but Sonic was unfazed. Anger boiled in his blood, making it hard for him to think. All he knew was Metal was talking, that Metal killed both his best friends, that Metal...would have to die.

"You're wrong, Metal," Sonic said calmly, his body no longer shaking. He opened his eyes, turning around to look at his doppleganger. His eyes were blazing, but his voice remained monotone and calm. He stared at Metal with icy hatred, his body flaming inside, his eyes seeming to set the robot on fire. His fur was no longer a cobalt blue, but a midnight blue. Metal's eyes grew wider with surprise, but quickly narrowed again. His body hummed with anger.

"What do you mean, hedgehog?" he said cooly. Sonic looked at Metal, directly into his glowing eyes, and for a moment, red met red. Sonic's eyes were no longer the usual emerald green. They were as red as the blood that had been spilt. "What am I wrong about?"

Sonic narrowed his eyes, a malicious grin spreading across his face. "About everything. You can't kill me, Metal. I won't die. I refuse to die...until I kill you." Sonic's voice was cold, and he wondered if it was really him speaking, wondering if something had taken over him. His mind was racing so fast, he could hardly distingish one from the other, and his head was pounding against his skull, pain scoring through his body with each throb of his heart. Inside, chaos was taking place, but outside...he was icily calm, his only goal to make sure Metal died by his hands, payed for the murders he had committed.

Metal chuckled coldly again, shaking his metal head. "So naive, Sonic," he said, crossing his arms. "I believe you have it backwards. _You _can't kill _me_. Like I said, your anger makes me stronger, ten times stronger than you feel." He grinned, uncrossing his arms and taking a battle position. "But, if you insist, I'll kill you myself, put you out of your misery." Sonic simply smiled again, taking his own position, and laughing.

"Today, you die, Metal. Killed like you killed my friends."

"The hell I will."

And Sonic struck.

His body flew at Metal at a neckbreaking speed, and at that moment, the icy cold calmness broke, and the anger surged through his body. As his legs flew under him, Sonic gave a loud war cry, and crashed into Metal. Dark arm met blue arm, and Metal had blocked Sonic's attack. Sonic gritted his teeth and aimed another swift attack at Metal's head, but it was simply blocked and flung away. Growing irritated, Sonic began lashing out with both arms and both legs. But all that happened was the same as before. Metal blocked them and pushed them away, hardly glancing any direction. Then, he smiled.

"My turn."

And he struck. Sonic was caught off guard by Metal's sudden attack. A swift arm met his side hard, sending him sprawling sideways. He cried out in pain as he slammed against the ground, skidding several feet before he stopped. Growling under his breath, Sonic jumped to his feet, anger making the pain disappear. He again flew at Metal, his mind racing once again as he struggled to find another way to attack. He got closer to Metal, who simply stared at him the entire time, his red eyes not moving away from him. Sonic yelled again, leaping into the air over Metal's head. He aimed a punch at his head, his arm drawn back. He pushed it forward with all the strenght he had, but right as his fist would've met Metal's face, the robot was gone. Sonic's fist slammed against the ground. He knew was Metal was going to do, and he acted fast. He pulled his fist up out of the rock floor, and whipped around with it. A pained grunt pierced the air, as well as the thud of metal begin broken. The force of Sonic's punch sent the metal doppleganger flying through the air and slamming into the rock wall. The entire structure shook, and several large rocks fell from the ceiling of the cavern, landing on Metal and burying him underneath it. Sonic landed on his feet, simply staring at the rubble and not moving. The rocks shifted as Metal crawled out of them, groaning with pain. He glared at Sonic, his red eyes shining in the shadows.

"You'll pay for that one, hedgehog," he growled as he got up. Sonic smirked shaking his head.

"I think not," he chuckled, his voice threatening and dark. "Like I said, Metal, you're going to die. You killed my best--No. You killed my family, and you're going to pay for it." Sonic felt the mixed emotions inside boil, though he was numb to everything else. All he simply saw was Knuckles and Tails, smiling in front of his minds eye. And nothing else mattered but killing this beast. His grin disappeared, replaced by a frown as he looked at Metal, his dark fur glowing around him. "You'll never win. As long as those two murders lay on your shoulders, you're sitting in death row." Metal was standing now, looking at Sonic from across the cavern. He blinked and levitated again, chuckling under his breath.

"Sonic, why do you care so much? How can two simple people mean so much to you?" Metal shook his head, floating toward Sonic with his arms crossed. Sonic clenched his fists as he got closer, his already narrowed eyes narrowing even further. "And now, they're dead, so how can they be any use now?" Sonic gritted his teeth as Metal got closer, and his pupils were tiny slits in his eyes. And when Metal was right in front of him, Sonic struck again. He leaped into the air, kicking and flying at Metal with neckbreaking speed.

"Because I loved them!" he screamed, and the two were fighting in midair, arm meeting arm, leg meeting leg. It was a fury of midnight blue and metalic blue, and a chorus of grunts and shouts, thuds and clangs echoed around them. To the naked eye, they were simple blurs of colors, flying through the air.

Sonic threw punches and blocked punches. His and Metals' fists were moving beyond the speed of sound, slamming against one another. It seemed to be an endless fight, for neither landed a punch. As the two zoomed through the air, throwing punches and kicks, Metal laughed in his ear.

"Give it up, Sonic! I will win! I was made to destroy you, and I am determined to achieve that goal!" He threw another punch at Sonic, who barely blocked it with his own hands. Another one aimed for his eye, but he dodged, aiming his own at the doppleganger metal stomach. Just as before, Metal flung it away, and the two continued the battle of hit and block. But another laugh for Metal rung in Sonic's ears, and a moment later, he was struck hard against the stomach, something ripping into his skin. Crying out in surprise and pain, Sonic was flung away by the attack, and he was vaguely aware of the blood flying in front of him. He expected to feel his body slam against a hard rock wall, but Metal had other plans. Sonic again felt something rip into his back, and he was flung in the opposite direction. He was confused; blood was flying around him, there was no way of telling up from down, he was flying through the air having no idea where he would land, and Metal was nowhere to be seen.

This time, rock did meet his back, and he slammed into the wall hard, sliding down it until he sat against the floor. He cringed in pain as he attempted to stand. He felt the wet blood seeping into his fur, and his stomach and back burned with pain. He looked down at the wound on his stomach; a small slice that wasn't too deep, but was long enough to be concerned about. Ignoring the pain, focusing on the two lives he had to avenge, Sonic stood, one eye closed in pain. Metal stood a few yards away, a smug grin on his metal face. Sonic cringed again, but stood his ground, staring at the robot as he chuckled.

"See, Sonic? One slice, and you're dead." He looked down at the wound before looking up at the enraged hedgehog's face. "That was simply proof what I can do. And only a little. I could slice right through you, Sonic, and you'd be dead before you knew what happened." He laughed again, crossing his arms. "So come on, hedgehog. Show me what you can do."

Sonic gritted his teeth in anger, his pupils as small as they could go. The rage and hatred burning inside him seemed to get worse every time he looked at Metal. He still felt the wet blood seeping against his fur and flesh, making the spinning in his head even worse. He felt sick, but powerful at the same time, and the thoughts in his mind came to a stand still. His fists clenched harder together, sweat breaking out on his forehead. He had no idea what was wrong with him, but the power was too much to ignore. The anger and hatred was too strong to contain, too much for him to bear.

He looked back up at Metal, his pupils nearly invisible in his eye. He growled under his breath, feeling his blood pulse in his veins. The power...He felt it...Vengence...He had to have it...Tails...Knuckles...They had to be avenged. His growl elevated into a snarl as his red near invisible eyes burned through Metal, his hatred pulsing hard in his veins. Metal simply stood there, watching in surprise as Sonic seemed to transform again in front of him. Sonic's quills stood straight out behind him, instead of drooping like normal. His fur seemed to grow even darker, turning into a pitch black. His eyes disappeared completely. And he let out a piercing, bonechilling battle cry.

"You son of a _bitch_!" he screamed, and flew even faster toward Metal. His feet seemed to not even touch the ground, and to the naked eye, they hardly looked to be moving at all. His quills stood sharp on his back, sticking straight out as Metal's had done. With another cry of rage, the pitch black hedgehog leaped into the air and curled into a ball.

He tore through the air, his cry echoing around him still, spinning like a blade. And then he struck.

Sonic heard his sharp quills tear into Metal's body. The screeching of the metal being torn apart was all he heard, along with the thoughts screaming in his head. Sharp pieces of broken steel torn into his flesh, but he felt nothing, only thinking and knowing that this was it. That this was what he had waited for for so long. That this was all he had left.

And just as soon as the attack had begun, it had ended, and Sonic uncurled, landing on his feet.

Sparks flew from the hunk of metal at his feet. Metal's red eyes glared at him, as his head jerked involentarily. His arms twitched next to his head. Sonic's sharp quills had torn right through the metal doppleganger, spliting him in half with nothing left keeping the top and bottom together. Sonic's eyes were back, shining red, and he glared at his now broken copy. He leaned down, no expression on his face.

"I win, Metal," he whispered. Metal's head jerked again, and his eyes dimmed slowly as he glared one last time as his longlived enemy.

"Fair...and square...Sonic the Hedgehog..." And with a final twitch, the humming of the robot dimmed away, and his red eyes disappeared.

Sonic felt the anger and hatred drain away from him as the red eyes dimmed away, and his cobalt blue fur returned, his quills returning to their drooping state. His eyes returned to the normal green color, and the emense power he had felt was replaced with a large weight of exhaustion, that hit him like a brick. He stumbled slightly, his mind swurling with dizziness. His hand flew to his head, and he steadied himself, looking back down again at his enemies body, which no longer sparked.

Sonic felt nothing. His entire body was numb of feeling. All he knew was that Tails and Knuckles had been avenged, that their murderer was dead. But he didn't feel anything. He didn't feel the satisfaction he thought would come with killing Metal. He simply felt empty and dizzy, exhausted and breathless. He staggered toward Knuckles's body, his vision swimming dangerously. The blood from his wounds dripped on the rock floor below him with a steady pace, though they weren't lifethreatening. At his dead friends feet, Sonic collasped to his knees, sighing in defeat as he let the unconscious claim him. He feel completely down and let the darkness take him away. But not before uttering a few more words.

"I did it, Knuckles...Tails...I...got revenge..."

**&&**

**End of Chapter**

**&&**

_This story has been so fun to write. And I think, after two or less chapters, it'll be done, and I can start on the next one later this week. Thanks for so many reviews, and I'm glad I have people willing to tell me when I do something wrong. Thanks alot. _

_Also, with the darkness Sonic thingy, I saw on Wikipedia how he could transform into Dark Super Sonic, but it only went so far as to say something about rage and emotions. I didn't see anything where it said he had to have Emeralds. Also, the final version of Dark Super Sonic is my own little creation I would like to call Hyper Shadow Sonic. Okay, it sucks, I know. But I couldn't think of anything else. After all, it's 3 am too, so theres something. xD_

_Also, I don't think people quiet understood what I meant about making this into a series. What I meant was sticking to the same plotline I have planned out, but spliting it into three parts. For example, this would be one book, the next one would be another, and so on. I won't be changing the plotline at all. It stays the same. If you look in my profile and look at my series on Warriors called Warriors Chronicles, thats an example. But this isn't the end, either way. Of course, we're near the end of the first book, but it continues. Who knows? Maybe Tails and Knuckles will come back. I think I'll probably stick with spliting the books up...So, vote again, guys! If you don't care. o.o -hides from flamethrowers-_

**Aiko-Chan SoT**


	7. Until the End

_Oh yeah! This is it. _The final chapter _of the first book in _To Say Goodbye_. I was honestly blown away at how good this story was, since it was written by me. I loved every minute of writing it, and I can't wait to get started on book 2. I already have the entire series planned out, and I hope you like it. :3 _

**Woopsire - **_Thanks. I wrote it right the first few times, but I guess I got confused..._

**shadesoflightanddark - **_Yeah, I did get a bit carried away with the 'love' thing. o.o lol. what can I say? I'm emotional! -sniff- _

**crimson-obsidian-rose - **_I really loved that part too. It added to the emotion alot. And yes, you'll see. It's not over, and alot of reviewers have guessed where part of this is going..._

**Ice the Pyro - **_Thats fine. I'll simply reply to your review. Okay, so I guess it's not. o.o I didn't realize really. I'll edit that out. Thanks though. o.o But it was 3am and I was hyped up on Coke. o.o And you've pretty much guessed what happens. Darn you. -stabs- YOU READ MY MIND! -drools- o.o_

**&&  
To Say Goodbye**

_**Chapter 6:**_

_Until the End_

**&&**

_"...Why give up? Why give in?  
It's not enough, it never is  
So I will go on until the end  
We've become desolate  
It's not enough, it never it  
But I will go on until the end  
I've lost my way  
I've lost my way  
But I will go on until the end..."_

** Until the End by Breaking Benjamin**_  
_

_It was the strangest feeling...He had never found himself floating in total darkness. He never knew what it felt like to feel completely empty. He continously opened and closed his eyes, but each time they slid open, only darkness met them. He couldn't move an inch. Everytime he tried it was like something grabbed his arm and held it where it was. The only sensation he felt was that of falling...falling into the darkness that shifted around him._

_The only thing he could do was think, and his mind raced. He knew there was a battle, remembered the bloodshed, remembered that a good friend had fallen, and thats why they had battled. He remembered other things besides the battle as well. He saw flashbacks of fighting other villians, running through the forest, remembered his two best friends. But with each little bit he fell, he forgot more and more. But he struggled constantly against it, refusing to let go of his memories and his thoughts. He struggled against the force that kept him from moving, fought away the darkness that threatened to devour him. _

Must...get...away..._ he said to himself, grunting as he struggled to move. His eyes were tightly shut and he wrenched away from the force, freeing his arms. He wasn't giving up. If this was what Death was, he wasn't going to give in and die. He struggled to release his feet, punching at the darkness, even though it wasn't something that could feel pain. He gave a cry of determination, and his legs broke free, and he was released from the force that held him. Determined to not lose himself to the darkness, he ran, though he had no idea where he was going, or if the darkness continued forever. He just kept running, forcing himself forward._

_With every few steps a memory was recovered, and the darkness seemed to lighten a bit. With every thud of his feet against the invisible ground, he felt more determined, more alive. And when the light appeared at that seemingly endless 'tunnel', he forced himself to go faster, refusing the darkness, refusing Death. He got closer and closer, more memories seeping into his mind, more visions of the fight he had fought in..._

_But before he could step into the light, darkness rose again. It forced him to skid to a stop as it flew up in front of him. It blocked the light he had ran so desperatly to, and it cornered him. He felt his heart racing, panic seeping slowly in his mind. And then, the darkness began to take shape. It all formed together, getting smaller. And before long, a sillholette appeared in front of him, of a hedgehog. He didn't relaxed his guard, didn't force the panic away. He simply watched, and nearly cried out in horror when two red eyes flashed on and glared at him._

_He said nothing, simply watched as the sillholette got closer and closer, forcing him to back away. With each step he took, he lost one more memory, lost more of himself to the darkness. But when he felt the edge at his feet, nearly slipping into the darkness he could never escape from, he realized he couldn't run anymore, that it was fight to get away, or die. He raised his fists, feeling the panic trickle into his bloodstream with each passing second. The red eyed hedgehog got closer, but he refused to move anymore. With a cry of desperation, he flew at his opponent, closing his eyes as he pulled his fist back and plundged it at the hedgehogs red eyes. But him fist met nothing but air, and a cool laugh echoed around him. But when he opened his eyes, the darkness was gone, and light was back._

_He raced toward it, his feet flying under him, his breathing ragged, but his eyes glittered with determination. Memories and thoughts flooded back into him, and the light that spread through the darkness warmed him, and again, with each step, he felt more alive. He arrived at the end of the darkness, and happily shot into the light. For several moments he was blinded, and then, his eyes closed gratefully, and he fell instead into light._

**-x-x-x-**

He knew he was awake, he felt it, and slowly each scent came back to him one by one. He heard the dripping of liquid, the rumbling of rocks as they shifted. He tasted and smelt the blood, on his tongue and in the air. And he felt pain, a pain that made him cringe gently. He thought he was laying on his stomach, and when he opened his eyes, seeing nothing but the ground, he knew he was right. His memories of the battle flitered through his mind, but to his surprise, no sounds of battle met his ears. He forced himself to sit up, and with each inch he moved, pain burned through his body. As he forced himself into a sitting position, he closed his eyes as a final shockwave of pain scored through him, and opened them again.

They were still in the cavern, but the battle was over. Blood stained the ground in a few places, and rocks had crumbled from the ceiling on the corners of the walls. From where he was, he didn't see Metal, and his heart nearly stopped in fear. Had he lost? Had Metal finally won, and escaped? And when a blue figure laying near his feet caught his eye, he felt panic fill him, and nausea swept through his stomach. He _had _lost...

Struggling and ignoring the pain, he forced himself to his feet, stumbling several times before he even started moving. His vision swam with dizziness, and he had to close his eyes to keep from falling down. When he felt stable enough, he took a single step forward, and that was all it took. He fell to the ground, falling forward and landing on his face hard. Cringing with pain, he grabbed his stomach, feeling his hand suddenly become wet. He jerked his vision downward, and gasped in surprise when he saw blood dripping from a long, deep gash from his stomach. It was clean and straight, and he was reminded instantly of Tails's injury. As he stared at his blood-stained hand, he saw Tails's huge wound in his minds eye, and wondered why - _how_? - Metal hadn't cut straight through him. He looked back over at the blue hedgehog, his eyes swimming again dangerously, his vision tilting. But he refused to give into darkness again, and crawled toward the fallen hedgehog, and when he saw blood staining the blue fur along his back and arm, he nearly screamed in anger. Metal had killed Tails, and possibly, now his enemy for good.

He reached the limp body, gasping for breath from the effort of moving and shoving the darkness away. Sweat pouring from his head, he watched his rival closely, and nearly passed out when he saw the slow rise and fall of his back. He was breathing, which meant he was alive. He closed his eyes, letting the relief pour over him, and his eyes blurred with tears. He had nearly lost his other best friend.

"Sonic," he said, lifting his head and opening his violet eyes, that swam with tears he tried desperatly to hold back. His voice was ragged and hoarse, exhausted. "Sonic...wake up..." He forced himself to raise his hand, placing it on Sonic's shoulder. "Damn it, Sonic, wake up." He shook the blue hedgehog gently, his body shaking with the effort. Sonic didn't move under his touch, and he growled under his breath. "Sonic, if you don't wake the hell up..." He shook him harder, determined to wake him, determined to not lose him. This time, the hedgehog moved, but barely. He shifted his head slightly, his eyes not opening at all.

"Sonic," he said again, a little louder. This time, the hedgehog's ears pricked, and a moment later his green eyes slid open, and he looked directly at Knuckles the Echidna, who grinned gently, his vision swimming with dizziness. For a few long moments, Sonic said nothing, simply staring down Knuckles, before he finally spoke.

"Knuckles..." he said, his voice hoarse and ragged, and he cringed as he struggled to push himself to sitting position. Knuckles watched silently, refusing to fall into unconsciousness again. Sonic was sitting now, his eyes closed together and his teeth gritted. Knuckles noticed the blood staining his fur around his stomach and on his arm. When the hedgehog finally opened his eyes, they were swurling with mixed emotions, and then he looked at Knuckles with total disbelief in his eyes.

"You're...alive..." he whispered.

"Yeah...I am..." Knuckles replied back, a small smile on his face. And with those words, the battle inside against the darkness was lost, and Knuckles fell again into obilivion.

**-x-x-x-**

"Knuckles!" Sonic cried as Knuckles fell forward on his face, falling unconsious. His green eyes were wide, and his body was rigged with shock and disbelief. His friend was still alive. He was still alive. Though exhaustion tugged at Sonic, told him to stay still, he forced himself to his feet, cringing as pain shot up his body. One eye closed from the pain, he leaned down and touched Knuckles shoulder. But the echidna didn't move. Sonic decided that he had to help him, so he carefully picked him up, grunting with effort. But when he saw how much blood layed on the ground under Knuckles, he nearly dropped him again. Knuckles was dripping with blood from the wound on his stomach, and Sonic was frightened by how much layed under him. He realized then, as he looked at the horrific wound on Knuckles stomach, how lucky he was to have survived.

He didn't know what to do. Knuckles needed to be bandaged up, but Sonic was afraid that him running back to the house with Knuckles on his shoulder would untimately kill him. He swallowed the lump in his throat, looking at his limp friend in his arms. He needed help, and it was either run and risk him dying, or walk and risk him dying. He closed his eyes, his inside chaotic with the battling of the two options. Either way, he was at risk of dying. Sonic sighed and turned toward the entrance, his green eyes narrowed slightly. The best choice would be the fastest way...

It was only when Sonic saw the wound on his arm that he remembered the battle against Metal, remembered that he had won. His eyes scanned the floor of the cavern, looking for the scrap pile of the defeated Metal. But to his utter disbelief, the pile of Metal was nowhere to be found. Nothing was left of the doppelganger, and fear chilled Sonic down his backbone. But he had killed Metal, had watched his piercing red gaze die away. But...he was no longer laying where Sonic had left him. But Sonic forced this thought away, concentrating on Knuckles, who was limp and lifeless on his back. Swallowing the lump that formed in his throat, Sonic walked to the exit, his muscles screaming in protest, and blood dripping from the wounds on his belly, back, and arm.

Sonic emerged outside, his eyes adjusting to the darkness that had claimed the ruins as night fell. Sighing in frustration and confusion, Sonic shifted Knuckles on his back before he turned to the forest. He made sure Knuckles was secure on his back before he looked at the limp echidna from over his shoulder and spoke to him.

"Hang on, buddy. I won't let you die." He watched for any sign of movement from the echidna before he turned back to the forest and began running. His feet threw up dust and rock, and they screamed for him to stop, to rest and not run. But he refused to listen to them. If he didn't get them both home...he shuddered at what might happen. He forced his legs forward, ignored the way they burned with pain with every step. He gritted his teeth, running faster.

He flew through the forest quickly, and entered into the Mystic Ruins after a few seconds. He flew down the mountain of rocks, not stumbling even at the speed he was going. He raced across the valley, his feet ready to give way underneath him when he reached the base of the hill where their house stood. Sonic was forced to slow down as he made his descent up the mountain, his tired legs nearly limp underneath him. He stopped at the house, painting and stumbling as he walked toward the house, his vision spinning. He had pushed himself too hard, and was now paying the price. He leaned up against the house, struggling to catch his breath and regain his balance. It didn't take long, and Sonic was soon stumbling inside the house.

He quickly placed Knuckles on the couch, refusing to sit down and rest until he had patched him up. He hurried to the bedroom, opening the door and stepping inside. Immediatly, he stopped, his heart aching again when he saw Tails's bed in the corner, unused and tidy. He realized this was the first time he had been in the room since Tails died. Suddenly even more dizzy, Sonic hurried to Tails's dresser, ignoring the pain deep in his heart when he saw the blueprints and stuff on the desk, left untouched. He pulled out the bandages Tails had stuffed in his drawer and hurried out to Knuckles. He didn't notice a balled up sheet of paper fall to the floor off the desk.

Sonic was sweating now, the effort of moving suddenly becoming too much. He hurried to Knuckles side with the bandages, unraveling them quickly. Most of the bleeding had stopped now, so all that was left was keeping it from coming back. He wrapped the bandage around Knuckles wound, and already blood was seeping through it. He continued wrapping more until the bloodstain wasn't visible, and secured it with a piece of bandage tape. Still, the only movement from Knuckles was the steady rise and fall of his chest with his breathing. Sonic sighed and slumped in his chair, his emerald gaze dim with the exhaustion that pulled at him. He wanted so much to make sure Knuckles would wake back up, but his body refused, and he was forced in unconsciousness.

**-x-x-x-**

Knuckles didn't have to battle the darkness as hard this time. He defeated it easily, and awoke from his unconscious to find himself inside Sonic's home. He felt the bandage wrapped around his stomach, felt the pain sparking from it. He looked around the room, finding Sonic sitting on the other couch with his head in his hand, asleep. His arm was still bleeding, and his face was twisted with pain in his sleep.

Cringing with effort, Knuckles forced himself into a sitting position, looking down at the wound on his stomach. A bloodstain was barely visible through the bandage, and it seemed to have stopped. For that, Knuckles was grateful. It seemed he was out of danger from dying. He forced himself to stand, swaying slightly with dizziness, but quickly regained his balance. He picked up the bandages that layed on the floor, and shuffled over to Sonic, quickly and silenly wrapping the wound on his arm up. He saw the smaller ones on his belly and back had stopped bleeding, and were already starting to heal. With a sigh, Knuckles shuffled back to his seat and sat down.

Metal was dead, that much he was sure of. Sonic wouldn't be alive if he hadn't of won. But...why had he not seen the metal body of the doppelganger anywhere? Had Sonic already have desposed of his body? No. Knuckles felt sure that there was something more sinister to the disappearance of Metal, something he couldn't place his finger on.

He looked back to Sonic, his eyes narrowed. Obviously, Sonic had saved his life more than once that day. Knuckles's pride forced anger into his mind as well as the thought of gratitude. He blinked slowly, watching as the blue hedgehog slept before he turned away, looking down the hallway. He wondered if Sonic had taken him as dead when Metal attacked him, and wondered how hard it must have been to think both of his friends dead. Knuckles took a deep breath and let it out as a sigh. Hopefully, he would never know, and hopefully neither would have to feel it again.

He layed on the couch, waiting for Sonic to wake up. Maybe then he could tell Knuckles what went on when he was assumed dead. The echidna made up his own ideas until he heard Sonic stir on the other couch.

**-x-x-x-**

For once, Sonic had slept without dreams. It was the first peaceful sleep the hedgehog had had since before Tails died. And he was grateful for it. But when he awoke, the memories of everything that had happened smacked him hard, and he opened his eyes to pain and suffering. His head was pounding, his back and stomach were killing him, and he felt like he had been hit with the hardest rocks on earth. He groaned, sitting up and holding his head in his hands.

"'Morning, hedgehog."

The voice that broke the silence made him prick his ears and he quickly removed his head from his hands. His eyes landed on Knuckles, sitting on the opposite couch, hands behind his head and eyes looking at the ceiling. Sonic gave a soft sigh as relief spread through his body, knowing Knuckle would be okay. He looked back up at Knuckles, a small smile on his face.

"Man, you had me scared," he said to him, crossing his arms and glaring at him. "I thought you..." He hesitated, looking away. "I though I'd lost you, Knuckles..." Flashes of the battle, of his transformation burned in his mind, and he shoved them away, refusing to relive that moment. Knuckles was quiet for a few moments, but Sonic could feel his violet gaze burning into his back.

"What happened back there?" Knuckles finally said, forcing the subject of his life to be dropped. Sonic looked back at him, grateful for the change of subject, but not so grateful for what he asked for. He shrugged, closing his eyes.

"When I thought you were dead...I don't know...I just...changed..." He looked at his hands, squeezing them together. "I wasn't myself...I fought Metal...and I won..." He paused, dropping his arms to his side. He looked back up at Knuckles. "But Knuckles, when I left, he was gone. I tore right through him, even watched as he died, but he was _gone_." He shook his head, squeezing his fists together. He couldn't say anything else, simply look at Knuckles with disbelief set in his gaze. "What if he...what if he's not dead, Knuckles? What do we do then?"

Knuckles shook his head, sighing and rubbing his forehead. "I don't know, Sonic," he admitted, dropping his hand and squeezing his eyes shut. "Damn it, this is so annoying!" He opened his eyes again, looking at Sonic. "What can we do? If he won't die...we'll never avenge Tails..." Sonic closed his eyes, frustration and confusion making his head pound harder.

"Knuckles, I don't know what I can do," Sonic admitted, dropping his head in his hands. "Tails is gone...And even if I kill Metal...It won't bring him back." He was nearly in tears now, but he forced them away, refusing to cry anymore. Knuckles said nothing again, his usual silence speaking for himself. But there was something in the air that made Sonic's ears prick, something that Knuckles wasn't telling him. He jerked his head up, narrowing his eyes. "What is it, Knuckles?" he growled, glaring the echidna down. "You're not telling me something. And don't lie. I can sense you're not telling me something."

The red echidna hesitated, rubbing the back of his head. "I...I think I may know something." He rubbed his eyes, sighing heavily. "Sonic, Tails was doing some research on the Master Emerald, and the Chaos Emeralds." This immediatly caught Sonic's attention. He listened closely as Knuckles continued. "I read it in his room when I stayed in there the other night. He had wrote something down about the power of the emeralds and how they could travel through time." Sonic immediatly jumped to his feet, and immediatly regretted it when he doubled over in pain and was forced back down. "Don't get excited. He...He never finished it." Silence fell, and Sonic looked back at Knuckles, his emotions haywire inside him.

"So...there's a way the Emeralds can take me back in time?" Knuckles hesitated, then nodded. Sonic closed his eyes. "So it's possible that I can stop this from happening." He opened them again, standing slower this time. "Knuckles, we have to do some research on this." Sonic clenched his fists together, gritted his teeth. "If there's any way of getting Tails back, I'll take it." He looked over at Knuckles, who had stood as well.

"I agree," he said simply, and the two met eyes again for a moment. "Tails is my friend too, and I'm with you all the way." For the first time in forever, the two shared a full-hearted smile when they realized that this could finally be what they wanted; the revival of Miles "Tails" Prower.

_"...The final fight I win  
The final fight I win  
The final fight I win, but I will go on  
Until the End..."_

**&&**

**End of Book 1  
&&**

_Okay, so there you have it! The end of book one in the trilogy _**To Say Goodbye**_. This is only part one, so add me to your alerts to see book 2 when it comes out in possibly a little over a week. Since I've updated almost every day, I'm going to take a little break and get ready for school. Thanks for all my wonderful reviewers who helped me along. I hope you stay tuned for the next book in the trilogy!_

**Aiko-Chan SoT**


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